Companion
by yesiwritefanfiction
Summary: So, I first wrote this story like three years ago, but I've decided to re-upload it. Summary: Phil works in a restaurant and lives an ordinary life. Dan has been waiting his whole life to meet Phil.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so I first wrote this story like almost three years ago. But i'm reposting it after seeing someone on phanfic ask about it. i decided why not upload it ill post a little at a time tho so its spaced out i'll post a couple chapter a day or something

* * *

It was late. And Phil should've been asleep in bed, but he quietly crept out of his small townhouse at about 1 AM. He locked the door behind him. He didn't know how late he'd be out walking.

It was something he'd begun doing much more frequently the past few months. Something about the wooden area that shrouded his neighborhood in shadow fascinated him. Something sort of… called to him and he gravitated to the area.

He found his way to an open meadow deep within the trees.

He fell asleep here once, and regretted it when he awoke in the morning and found bug bites on his arms.

He sat down in the grass, and stared up the moon and the stars. They were much easier on the eyes than the sun and the sky were. Literally.

But he did truly find the night sky to be more profoundly beautiful than the daytime sky.

Phil listened to the crickets chirp and the bugs click. He never really came across any animals, except the occasional squirrel or rabbit, which would take off before he really realized it was there.

He didn't think tonight would be any different.

But he was proven wrong when he heard twigs cracking in the near vicinity, just passed the edge of the trees. Phil looked around quickly. His eyes had learned to adjust well to the night, but he still required his glasses when he came out here. He pushed them more securely up the bridge of his nose.

Another twig snapped and his heart jumped at the sound. Not exactly in fear, but in excitement. He began to ready himself to stand, in case he needed to defend himself.

Phil had no idea what could have been lurking in the shadows, but wasn't quite expecting a wolf to slowly step out of the trees.

A bear, maybe, but bears were hardly stealthy creatures, as far as he knew.

Despite knowing the dangers, Phil didn't move or try to distance himself from the animal.

The animal gazed at him. And although it was hard for Phil to see the look in the wolf's eye, he could see that he, or she, was relaxed. The animal's hair was not standing on end, nor was its teeth bared.

"Hello," Phil spoke to the wolf.

The animal's ears perked up a bit and tilted forward to capture the sound of Phil's voice.

The wolf stepped forward and Phil nearly scooted back, but then the wolf was still again.

The wolf slowly lowered itself to sitting position and then even lower until its head rested between its paws.

As it lie on the floor, in a strange maneuver for an animal, it scooted itself closer to Phil.

Phil scooted back, staring at the creature with wide blue eyes.

Stillness.

The animal raised itself to sit, and Phil could see that he was, indeed, a male wolf.

He, the wolf, made a small whimpering noise. The first noise he had made since he laid eyes on the creature.

Phil's hair stood on end at the back of his neck.

"What's wrong, boy?"

The same noise came from his throat.

"What's the matter?"

He made a sort of sniffing, sort of huffing noise, moving his head up and down, up and down.

He was trying to say something to Phil.

"What?" Phil almost laughed.

The wolf was restless, looking almost as if he wanted to take off running, but his master was telling him to "stay."

With a smile, Phil shook his head to himself. "I'm talking to an animal. Hell, I might not even be awake."

"But," something occurred to Phil. "If I am dreaming… you probably aren't dangerous."

Phil stood slowly and the wolf suddenly let out a burst of energy. His mouth opened wide, his tail wagged, and his ears tilted back a bit.

Phil knelt before the animal and reached out.

He cupped the side of the animal's face in his hand, stroking his fur softly along his neck and at the top of his head.

A feeling swept through Phil and he let out a breath. It felt a lot like gratitude, like happiness. It doesn't come from inside himself, and he had no other way to explain it than that it came from the wolf.

Surprisingly, his fur was quite soft and felt rather clean.

Suddenly the wolf took a step back and let out a great howl.

In surprise, Phil flinched back away the wolf, catching himself on his hands behind him.

Then in one swift movement the animal was on top of Phil, who flinched, squeezed his eyes shut and put his heads against the neck of the wolf.

He felt the wolf's warm tongue travel from his jaw line to his temple in one great kiss, lifting his glasses for just a second.

Phil opened his eyes and looked up, wide-eyed. He met the warm, brown orbs of the wolf which stared at Phil kindly. The wolf kissed him again and he smiled and laughed.

Phil was beginning to grow tired, and he knew he would have to return home soon.

"I have to go soon." He said more to himself than anything.

The animal looked at Phil sadly and rested its head in Phil's lap.

He stroked his fur softly and sighed.

Phil could hardly remember walking home, but woke up around 10 am.

He couldn't help but wonder if he had been dreaming the night before. It was all so strange. The wolf seemed to understand everything Phil had said. It was almost supernatural.

Phil lied in bed, watching the dust swirl in the light that filtered into the room from his window.

It must have been a dream he decided.

Phil stirred amongst his blankets and realized he was still wearing the clothes he had on when he left for the walk. As he slowly sat up, he ran a hand over his face and pushed his hair back. As he looked down at the carpet he realized he also had what look like dark brown dog hair scattered across his jeans.

Perhaps it wasn't a dream after all.

Throughout the morning he continued to ponder over what happened.

He had Saturdays off, thank goodness.

He did nothing of particularly important on these days. He didn't even have a significant amount of friends, aside from Chris who would come to visit him and they would spend hours on the mundane activity of video games.

Today was going to be just as ordinary, he figured when Chris took the liberty of coming over to spend a good part of the afternoon with him.

They played video games, which was not unusual.

However, the conversation was not quite like their usual topics, which usually consisted of music, anime, books, or the way they planned on dominating the other in whatever game they were playing.

"So, something strange happened last night." Phil had said.

"Phil, I didn't think I'd have to have this talk with you. But wet dreams are normal. It's okay."

"Hey, shut up," Phil shoved Chris over, whose character in their video game then died.

"Hey!" He exclaimed, laughing.

"Man, I was being serious," Phil said, trying to suppress a smile.

He regained composure as Chris righted himself and asked, "I'm sorry, for real this time, what happened?"

"Well, you know how I go walking sometimes?"

"Yes, I know what a complete weirdo you are."

Phil sighed and chose to just continue with the story.

"Well, I saw this wolf last night. But he wasn't normal. He behaved a bit more like a dog, and it was like he knew what I was thinking, kind of."

"It wasn't a dream?"

"No, I mean, I woke up with dog hair and dust on my clothes."

"That really is quite strange, mate."

"You're telling me."

"Are you sure it was a wolf?"

"Definitely. He howled after he let me pat him on the head."

"You petted it?"

"Er, yeah?"

"He didn't bite you or anything?"

"No, that's the strangest part I think. Wolves are, like, feral. But he was… nice."

"That's really weird."

"Yes, I know. And I don't know what the heck right now."

"You're not going to go and look for it again, are you?"

"Him."

"Huh?"

"Him, it was a he. He's a boy."

"Right," Chris said slowly. "Can't imagine how you'd sorted that out."

"Oh my god, Chris. You know what I'm gonna kick your ass at Mario Kart." Phil stood and knelt in front of his Xbox.

"Not if I don't kick yours first."

"We'll see about that." Phil switched the discs in the gaming console and started the game.

Chris stayed for another hour or so, and they ordered a pizza while they continued to play.

Eventually, Phil told Chris that he needed to wind down because he had to be in to work early the next morning.

Which was true, but he sort of wanted to take a walk before it got too late. Too many nights he walked up there and did not get enough sleep.

So not long after the sun set and Chris had gone, he left his house, locking it behind him as usual, and made the journey to the forested area that bordered his neighborhood.

To his disappointment, he never did encounter the wolf that night.

The next day things were insanely busy at his restaurant at work. The only thing that was getting him through the day was looking forward to when things would slow down.

He normally worked from 9-3 pm and things would slow down around 1 pm. He was a host on Sundays, so he would seat people as well as run the register.

His feet would ache, but he had learned a long time ago to ignore it, and he got used to it after a while.

Phil heard the door swing open in their foyer, as he was restocking the to-go order supplies.

He walked out of the server's line and his eyes fell on a tall man with dark brown hair dressed in a heavy black jacket and jeans.

Phil approached the podium, smiling welcomingly despite how tired he was growing. As he stepped closer, he noticed the familiar, warm brown eyes which regarded Phil kindly.

"Hi, is it just one today?"

"Yes," the man nodded. "I'll just sit at the bar there if that's okay."

"Absolutely."

Phil led him over to the bar and placed his menus on the counter in front of him. He noticed that the man's jacket looked just the slightest bit dusty.

"Can I get your drink order?"

"Just some water would be nice," he told Phil.

"I'll get that right out to you." The man smiled at him in response and glanced at his nametag.

Phil made his way back to the server's line and put together a cup of ice water. He quickly grabbed a straw before taking the cup of water out to the bar.

"Thanks, Phil," he said, earning a smile from the host.

"You're welcome. A server should be around to get your food order soon, alright?" Phil adjusted his glasses as he spoke.

"Thank you."

Phil found excuses to walk passed the intriguing man at the bar. He had ordered a steak, medium rare and even though, his menu item didn't call for it, he asked for sausage with it, too.

"Really craving protein?" Phil remarked as he picked up a few bits of rubbish from the floor.

What Phil said ran through his own mind and he put a hand over his face in shame.

"Er-fguafbkj, ignore what I say. I'm literally the most awkward thing on the planet. I communicate with animals better than I do humans."

The man chuckled and countered, "Don't worry. I sometimes question whether I'm even human. So maybe we're okay."

Phil grinned widely.

"So, Phil, do you live around here?" The man asked.

 _This man is really handsome. Could he possibly be hitting on_ me _?_

"Er, I should get back to work…" Phil fiddled with the straw wrapping he had picked up off of the floor.

"No worries. I am simply curious about you, is all."

Phil decided to indulge the man and himself, anyway.

"But I live just down the road, actually."

"Do you get off work soon?"


	2. Chapter 2

Phil soon clocked out, and although the man was still finished his food, he left he restaurant, but did not drive away from the parking lot.

He sat in his old, beat up, silver car and waited patiently. He looked in his rearview mirrors to watch for the man, who he soon saw approaching the car.

Phil got out of the car and soon he and the man were standing across from each other.

"So, I never did get your name," Phil realized.

"It's Dan. I'm Dan."

"Well, it's good to meet you, Dan."

"You as well, Phil."

"So, I was under the impression that you er…" Phil trailed off. How exactly did you tell someone that you had the feeling they wanted to hook up?

"Yes, well, I just sort of wanted to talk with you a bit more."

Phil was mostly relieved, to tell the truth. He had never done anything quite like hooking up with someone when he had just met them. He hardly even hooked up with anyone. Like, ever.

But he enjoyed talking and beautiful people.

"That sounds nice," Phil replied. "We can hang for a bit. Go ahead and get in."

"Thanks, Phil." Dan grinned widely and Phil's heart stuttered in his chest.

As Phil drove down the rode to his small home, he said to Dan, "Er, my house is actually not very nice or anything. This is sort of, well it's very short notice, otherwise I would have cleaned. But I've got video games, and a Netflix account."

"What's Netflix?"

Phil shot Dan a deadpan look. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm joking." Dan replied flatly.

"Oh good, cause I was about to say how the hell do you not know what Netflix is."

"That was a lie."

"For real?"

"For real. What is it?"

"Movie and television show site on the internet. You can also rent DVDs and have them sent in the mail."

"That's pretty neat."

Phil hummed in agreement as he cruised closer to his home.

"So, here we are," he said he pulled into the driveway.

They both stepped out of the car and Dan looked over the house thoughtfully.

"This is nice."

"Nice, Dan? It's pretty worn down."

"Yeah, but it's got character, you know?"

"I suppose, that's true."

Phil led the way up the rickety wooden steps to his porch deck and front door.

He unlocked the heavy wooden door and let Dan step inside.

He stepped underneath the threshold, his boots thudding dulcetly on the dark wood floor.

"You can sit down, I can get us something to drink. Do you want some soda?"

"Sure," Dan said as he sat on the old, faded red sofa. "Thanks."

His strong nose could smell Phil everywhere in the house. His ears could pick up Phil's breathing from the other room and the electricity from the fridge in the kitchen.

Phil returned with a can of soda for Dan and sat opposite him on the couch. He cracked the soda can open, appreciating the pop and hiss and listened as Phil's can did the same.

"So, do you live around here, Dan? I've never seen you at the restaurant before," Phil asked.

Dan turned a bit, bending one of his long legs and said, "Well, I live closer to downtown, but I was in the area and was sort of attracted to your restaurant for some reason. But now I know why."

Phil smiled and said, "You're sort of strange, you know."

"No, I don't." Dan replied, looking at him expectantly.

"Well, you speak kind of… vaguely… and I just don't really know exactly. You're very well spoken. You're not like other people."

"Well, I could use the cliché response and say I'm _not_ like most people, but I really am not like most."

"I've gathered that."

Phil gazed at the strange man opposite him on the couch, who looked back steadily.

He stood quite abruptly. "You read a lot?" He maneuvered around the couch and to the other side of the room where Phil's tall, dark, dusty bookcase stood.

"Yes. Do you?"

"Loads," Dan said. He raised a finger, scanning the titles.

"This one is excellent," he said, pausing on a certain book and Phil hummed in agreement.

"What's your favorite of his?"

Dan and Phil discussed the author for a few minutes and Phil began to soon wonder, "How late do you plan on staying?"

"As long as I'm welcome."

"Well, I don't mind if you stay over night, but I can't be up late as I've got work tomorrow."

"You don't strike me as the early to bed, early to rise type." Dan looked at Phil as if he knew something he wasn't aware of just yet.

"I'm really not, but you have to be if you want to be at all successful in society."

"Society is shit."

The vehemence that Dan suddenly spoke with caught Phil's attention.

"Society is full of people who are too afraid to experience anything passed their little bubble of beliefs, people that are too afraid to learn about any new, unconventional ideas."

Phil agreed wholeheartedly, but was struck with how well he had worded it.

Dan downed the last of his soda.

"I can get you another, and throw that one out," Phil offered.

Dan passed him the empty can of soda, their fingers brushing and a familiar feeling rushed through Phil's body. It was exciting and electric, something that made him feel purposeful. Like he was meant to be with Dan, in less than just a we-could-be-romantically-involved and more like a you're-meant-to-be-at-my-side sort of feeling.

Phil turned away, the feeling still traveling through his body and collected another can of soda for Dan. He tried to shake the feeling away.

"Should I make us dinner? If Chris comes over I normally get pizza for us, but I just had pizza last night."

"Dinner sounds good."

"Any favorites?"

"Not really. Just something really meaty."

"How about… meatloaf?"

"Sounds mouth-watering," Dan said and he opened the can of soda Phil brought to him.

"Great. I'm kind of excited, I haven't cooked for two in a long time."

That caught Dan's attention, but he didn't question Phil about it as he returned to the kitchen to begin cooking. He reached for a dusty paperback on Phil's shelf and stretched himself out on the floor with it.

Phil noticed this and grinned. He supposed that for someone with legs as incredibly long as Dan's the floor was a bit more comfortable than his couch.

Phil did all the prep work for the meatloaf and after he slid the load into the oven and set the timer he turned to ask Dan if he would want rice as a side.

"Do you want-," he stopped when he noticed that Dan had begun to doze, with his hands beneath his head, over the book.

He smiled at the sweet image.

He hadn't thought that this man would look so peaceful and downright adorable as he napped.

Still smiling, he walked quietly to his bedroom where he grabbed a pillow and brought it out to the living room. He knelt beside Dan and carefully tried to remove the book and put the pillow beneath his head.

Dan stirred and Phil was prepared to quickly explain, but he settled again onto the pillow.

As the meatloaf began to cook, Phil changed into some lounge pants and a band t-shirt and he also splashed some water onto his face.

He cooked rice, as well as some carrots for the both of them to go with the meatloaf. He was quite proud of his cooking ability, if he was being completely honest.

As Phil set their places at the table and pulled the meatloaf out of the oven, Dan stirred and looked up at Phil.

"Hey, sleepy-head."

Phil walked over and helped him to his feet.

"You must have been tired."

"Yeah… I'll sleep just about anywhere, really."

"It was cute," Phil said, earning a slight blush from Dan. "Foods done."

"Excellent."

Phil led Dan over to his old wooden dinner table and the two of them sat opposite each other.

"Wow, this looks really good," Dan eyed the meatloaf. His tongue came out to wet his lips as he continued to stare.

"Have as much as you like," Phil dished out his rice and carrots and Dan sliced himself a chunk of meatloaf from the baking dish.

Phil laughed, "That's quite a big piece. Are you always this hungry?"

"Yes," he replied in a joking manner. "I just really love meat. I'm sorry for being so weird."

"Don't apologize. I don't think you're weird. How old are you, Dan?"

"I'm 23. You?"

"27."

"You don't seem quite that old."

"Right, well, I like to er, keep that inner child alive." Phil said, partly joking.

"Right," Dan agreed.

They chatted a bit as they ate. Dan ate a bit of rice and carrots but mainly ate two large helpings of meatloaf.

"You want some food with that meatloaf?" Phil asked him at one point and Dan looked up at Phil with a peculiar look on his face and then broke out in a wide smile and began to laugh.

"I can sarcasm," Phil said, grinning and began to laugh a bit along with Dan.

Phil had finished eating and cleared his place. "You can just put your plate in the sink, I'll worry about it later," he said to Dan.

He put away the leftovers and then went back into the living room where he logged into his Netflix account using his Xbox.

"Do you feel like watching a movie or something?"

Dan joined Phil at the couch.

"Why did you agree to see me so easily?" Dan wondered, not looking at Phil but watched the movie titles slide passed them as he navigated the Netflix website.

"You're interesting," Phil paused. "Intriguing."

Dan sort of hummed, and then to Phil's surprise he leaned over and laid his head in his lap. That same buzz ran through his body and it continued to baffle him.

"I like you," Dan said to Phil.

"You're sort of cuddly aren't you?"

"It's kind of in my nature to be affectionate."

Phil gently pushed Dan's curly hair out of his face, and ran his fingers through it, appreciating the softness of it.

They shared a smile.

"I like you too, Dan."


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Phil woke up alone.

The night before they had watched a couple movies, and he learned that Dan was very much so a cuddle-er.

But Phil loved it. Originally Dan said he'd sleep on the couch, but in the middle of the night he crawled into Phil's bed with him.

But he was gone with the rising sun.

He didn't leave any sort of note or anything like that either.

Phil was bummed, to the say the least. He walked into work frowning, and left frowning.

He felt permanently gloomy.

Ever since he experienced the hum in his body that Dan gave him, he didn't want to go another day without it. He missed the peace that filled him when Dan was around.

Phil hoped he would come into the restaurant, but it was useless.

Needless to say, he had trouble sleeping that night and it didn't take much debate before Phil was slipping into his shoes and pulling on a jacket for a walk.

He walked into the thicket of trees, found the familiar meadow, and settled in the center to lie back and look up at the sky with a slight smile. The moon was full and big tonight.

He wondered if he might encounter the wolf again.

Not likely, he thought to himself, but even as the thought passed through him Phil heard rustling in the nearby foliage.

He looked around himself, and the wolf was approaching him from between some bushes.

"Hi."

The wolf casually trotted over to Phil, who slowly sat up.

"Sort of hoping I'd see you."

The wolf dragged his warm, wet tongue from Phil's jaw line to temple. He chuckled and stroked the animal's soft fur, and looked into his soft brown eyes.

"You're much more civilized for a wild animal."

Something flashed in his eyes.

"It's so weird, but I feel like you can understand me sometimes."

Phil ran his hands along his soft fur and the animal, despite its size, tried to climb into his lap.

"You're a bit too big for that."

He settled by resting his head on Phil's thigh and he soon laid back to look up at the sky again.

"I really like the night sky. Its pretty and beautiful, but also sort of impressive and intimidating. I feel small while looking up at it."

The wolf had cuddled up to Phil's side, breathing in the man's scent.

And they lay like that, under the stars, for quite some time.

* * *

The next day Phil was hoping to see Dan at the restaurant, but he didn't show.

However, when he pulled his car into his driveway, he noticed a familiar long-legged figure sitting on his porch steps.

He quickly shut off the car and stepped out. Dan stood as he approached.

"I want really badly to be pissed at you." Phil said as he trudged up the porch steps.

"Really, why is that?"

"Because you left without saying anything," Phil replied as unlocked the door, stepped inside and left the door open for Dan.

"You can forgive me, can't you?" Dan followed him inside, shutting the door behind him.

"Already forgiven."

"That was fast."

"It's kind of in my nature to be forgiving." Phil slipped out of his work shoes and took off his jacket, laying it across the arm of the couch.

He looked up, once again struck with how pretty Dan's eyes were.

"Are you going to stay for dinner and then leave without saying anything again?"

Phil had intended for the question to sound quite as soft as it did.

"I thought you'd forgiven me."

"Doesn't mean I haven't forgotten. I just wish you would have said something."

"Well, to answer your question, I don't know."

Phil's eyebrows knitted at that, but he didn't respond and turned away.

"If you were an animal, what would you be?"

The question was random and irrelevant, but childlike and interesting.

"I don't know. It'd be up to mother nature to decide, wouldn't it?"

Dan shot Phil a look as if to say, _You little shit. Humor me._ "Don't spoil my fun," he said instead.

"I'd probably be a wolf. What would you choose?"

"I think I'd be a wolf, too." Dan answered, with a smile and a glint in his eye.

"I feel like I've met you some place besides the restaurant."

"Trust your instincts, I always say."

"Right," Phil paused. "I'm wanting to have a shower, did you want to stick around? You can read or… nap until I'm done."

"Yes, I'd like to stay if that's alright."

"It is."

Phil didn't cook that night, but ordered them a pizza to share. Dan had wanted sausage, pepperoni, and ham on his half, while Phil had gotten vegetables on his.

He looked over at Dan as they sat on the couch, ate, and watched a horror film.

"I just really like meat."

Phil chuckled and returned his attention the movie.

Phil had stayed up later than he should have the night before, so naturally he was much more tired.

"I'm going to bed," he eventually said to Dan, standing.

Dan glanced from Phil, to the bedroom door and then back up at Phil.

"Can I sleep with you?"

"Er…"

"Shit-, I mean, er…Can I join you?" He tried again.

"Jesus Christ," Dan put a hand over his face.

"We can share a bed," Phil laughed quietly.

"Thanks," Dan smiled, despite the blush that had warmed his face.

"Er, do you need pajamas or anything?"

"I'll just take my shirt off or something," Dan said nonchalantly.

"Right, okay then."

Phil turned away and went into his messy bedroom, stepping over clothes strewn across the floor and crawled into his bed. He took his glasses off and stretched to put them on his bedside table.

The bed sunk where Dan sat down and Phil listened to the sound of fabric sliding over his body as he took his shirt off.

"Hey," Dan said once he had settled on his stomach.

Phil had been on his side, facing away from Dan so he rolled to get a look at him. He took in his bony collar, his stubbly jaw, and his protruding adam's apple.

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

"What for?"

"You don't really know who I am, I've never exactly given you a reason to trust me, but you still do."

"I do trust you," Phil said. "How could I not trust someone that makes me feel the way I do when you're around?"

"How is it that I make you feel?"

"Not sure how to explain it… I feel like everything is right. And when you're not there I'm miserable." Phil stopped and looked into Dan's gentle eyes. "Do you feel the same at all?"

"More than I thought possible."

"Then don't leave in the morning."

"Don't you have work in the morning anyways, Phil?" Dan's expression remained flat.

Phil chuckled. "Right. Thanks for reminding me."

Dan smiled then, and it lit up his face.

"You really are quite beautiful, you know?"

"So are you."

They spoke quietly for a bit longer before Phil surrendered to sleep.

* * *

The next morning Dan was still there, which Phil was glad for. However, he had decided to go on his own way when Phil left for work.

Phil had glanced at him from his rearview mirror and he suddenly began to wonder.

It didn't look like he had a car. How was it that he lived closer to downtown, but was there in Phil's neighborhood all the time?

Was Dan possibly homeless?

Phil had never noticed if smelt or anything like that, but hadn't noticed much variation in the clothes he wore either. Same boots, same jacket.

He was growing a bit concerned, really and despite the distraction his coworkers and work brought him, his thoughts would return to Dan.

"Maybe you should just ask him," Phil muttered to himself as he bussed one of his tables clean that afternoon.

"Just one, can I sit in Phil's section?"

Phil turned and saw Dan walking around the podium, following his coworker, Cat, to one of his booths.

"Enjoy your meal," Cat had said to Dan before walking away.

Phil approached Dan, and could hardly get a word in before:

"Do you get off work soon?"

"Er, yes, Dan. I just have to make sure my section is clean." He added quietly, "you couldn't wait a bit longer until then?"

"Oh, and here I thought you'd be so glad to see me," Dan said, a playful smile on his face. "I see how it is."

Phil was a bit taken aback. "You..."

"I?"

"What would you like to drink, Dan?" Phil asked him, knowing he was at work and didn't want step out of those boundaries while they were there.

"Something warm, its a bit cold out there."

"How does hot chocolate sound?"

"Sounds marvelous."

Phil grinned and said, "I'll bring that right out to you."

Phil headed back to the servers line and as he dispensed hot water into a mug from the coffee maker his coworker, Cat, approached him.

Cat was a good friend and they got along great as they worked along-side each other during the day. Unfortunately that was about as far as their friendship went. Phil was doubtful that they had much in common anyway.

"Who is that out there?" she wondered, eyeing Phil slyly.

"His name is Dan," he replied, slowly lowering the mug of hot water to the counter. "Why?"

"He's incredibly handsome."

"Is, isn't he?" Phil agreed, glancing up at Cat and then reached for the hot chocolate mix and stirred it up into the water.

"There's something going on isn't there?"

"What makes you say that?" Phil topped the hot chocolate off with some whipped cream.

"The way you both looked at each other."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Cat." Phil dramatically stuck his nose in the air as he turned away and then glanced back and grinned at cat before walking back into the dining area, taking the mug of hot chocolate with him.

He brought the hot chocolate out to Dan who smiled up at him.

"Do you know what you want to eat?" Phil asked him.

"Er, the steak I had last time. Medium rare. With just fries on the side I think."

"You can add another side and have some hot soup as well, if you like."

"No, that's alright. Thanks though."

"Alright, I'll go put the order in, then. Should be ready soon."

"Thanks, Phil."

After Phil put the order in on the computer, he brought a broom out to the dining area, where he began to sweep his entire section.

Phil glanced at Dan and noticed his jeans were a bit dusty.

"Dan, are you homeless?" he blurted out. "Shit, sorry. I'm stupid."

"You're alright. Er...,"

"'Cause you said you live downtown, but you're always nearby and I'm sort of worried."

"No, I don't live closer to downtown. I did lie about that, but I swear it's the only thing. I'll show you wear I live today, is that alright?"

"Er, yeah, I'd like that."

"I'm sorry I wasn't completely honest at first. I just… I'm not exactly normal. Well, I'll explain more later."

"Right."

The two of them didn't actually speak much for the remainder of Phil's shift, as he was moving around a lot and trying to get all of his side work done.

Dan had given Phil a twenty dollar bill, and told him to keep the change even though his bill came out to be about eleven dollars.

He left Phil nine dollars.

Now, that was another thing that baffled him.

It didn't seem as if Dan worked or rented his own place or anything, if he even had his own place, but managed to be able to splurge on a meal for himself at a restaurant.

Did he steal the money? Has he mugged people before?

Phil's head was swimming, and he felt as if he was developing a headache.

Dan had chosen to wait for him outside, and when Phil clocked out he found him sitting on the curb of the parking lot near his car.

"So, I actually kind of live nearby you… but not quite in the same neighborhood," Dan said as he stood when Phil approached.

"Er, alright."

"I walk there… it's in the same direction of your house, so…"

"Right," Phil unlocked the car and climbed in, waiting for Dan to get in on the other side.

When the two of them arrived at Phil's, Dan waited outside for Phil as he went in to change out of his work uniform.

When he stepped back outside, Dan looked him over appreciatively, but glanced away when Phil met his eye.

"So?" Phil said expectantly. "Lead the way."

"Right."

Dan turned and led him towards the outskirts of the neighborhood and into the wooded area.

"This is the way I walk sometimes…"


	4. Chapter 4

"Er, yeah…"

"Dan?"

"Just wait, alright?"

Dan led Phil into the trees, which soon grew thicker and thicker. Phil vaguely recognized the path Dan was leading them on, but soon he was on unfamiliar ground.

The air was a bit chilly, and the terrain was a bit rough and uneven. Phil was a bit uncoordinated, and slowed Dan down a bit. He was glad he'd left his glasses his on, otherwise he was certain that he would tripped a few times over tree roots and rocks.

"Are we almost there?" Phil said eventually, realizing how tired he was growing.

Dan stopped suddenly. "I'm sorry, are you alright? We can take a bit of a break, if you need it."

"I'm fine, but yeah a break would be nice."

"It is a bit farther than it seems for me. I'm used to going back and forth all the time."

"Right," Phil sat down on a nearby tree log, taking a breath at the relief of taking his weight off of his feet. He wasn't what you'd call a heavier person, but he was definitely heavy in his height so he still experienced your garden variety foot ache every now and then.

"I've just been on my feet all day already."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you all the way out here." Dan squatted down near Phil, reminding him for a moment of the way a dog would sit.

"No, it's fine. I was far too curious to pass up the opportunity. You're sort of a fickle being."

"I'll try not to be from now on."

"That'd be kind of nice," Phil said, earning a small laugh and a grin from Dan. He smiled back.

Phil watched as Dan's eyes flicked about to watch their surroundings as they grew a little quiet.

At the sound of wind rustling the tree leaves, he would look up, or when a squirrel scampered up a tree, he would look in that direction as well.

It was almost as if Dan suffered from a bit of ADD, but Phil figured that, being way out here, it paid off to be aware of your surroundings.

And apparently, he lived out here, so he had probably learned, at some point, that it was best to be more observant.

"We are almost there, actually," Dan assured Phil.

"That's good." Phil stood again and Dan followed suit. "Er, lead on, I guess."

Phil did feel loads better and he followed Dan. The terrain seemed to smooth out just a bit more again, and soon Phil could see the trees thinning minutely.

"I didn't realize the woods were this extensive," he said to Dan.

"Yeah. We're almost there now."

Through the trees, Phil could see an opening, a clearing where sunlight fell onto this really old looking house.

"Oh," Phil said as realization dawned on him.

"Yeah."

"How long has it been here?"

"A very long time. Mom lived here… and so did my grandpa. It was built ages ago."

Dan had always seemed so ambiguous to Phil that him having grandparents really struck him as a strange idea.

"See that there," Dan pointed to where the earth just a bit further than the small cottage, dipped. "There's a stream that runs through there. I generally always get my water there, and wash my clothes and stuff."

Dan seemed a bit embarrassed.

He wasn't exactly homeless, but didn't quite have all the luxuries that Phil did. Phil suddenly realized that he took for granted his electric stove, cold fridge, and hot showers.

They continued on toward the small house.

"I think it's beautiful, Dan."

They had reached the edge of trees and upon closer inspection of the cottage, Phil saw that it was made mostly of brick. There was a chimney at one side, and Phil imagined that during the winter Dan would light a fire and sit beside it.

"I sort of just make do with whatever I find when it comes to food."

"Dan, how did you manage to pay for lunch at the restaurant the past few days?"

"Right. Dad was a CEO of a big company and had loads of money in his savings, which was passed to me when he died…. I've sort of got loads of money in a safe in there."

It started to make sense to Phil.

"Why don't you move someplace else then?"

"Well, cause this worked for me. I sort of grew up with mom here, so it's sort of all I really know. Also, I wouldn't have met you, so I'm glad I never did find someplace else."

Phil smiled, but wondered, "Where is your mom now?"

"She's… Well, she died."

"That's awful, Dan."

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss her. But I can say I'm no longer grieving."

Phil wasn't sure what to say.

This wasn't quite like anything he had experienced before and Dan wasn't like anyone he had ever met.

What exactly are you supposed to do in this sort of situation? He couldn't exactly just take it in stride that a man he very quickly developed some quite profound feelings for, was _living in the woods without any proper human interaction or entertainment._

He knew Dan well enough that he would not respond well if Phil showed him pity.

"Are you… happy here?"

"I… think it's a very beautiful and peaceful place and I have everything I need. But, I mean… I was lonely," he conceded, "but because of what I am… I would have been lonely no matter if I had been around loads of people or remained here. I was made to be lonely until I met you."

Phil was completely perplexed by Dan's words, but he just continued and said, "Do you want to see the inside? It actually is quite nice."

"Er, yeah." Phil said, following Dan as he finally led him across the clearing to the old wooden door.

Phil's first impression had been that the cottage was very small, but it was definitely bigger than it originally seemed.

Phil stepped inside after Dan, his feet landing on hard concrete.

Everything was a bit dim, but Phil could see there was a very old sofa across from a fire place. Dan went over to the mantel where a box of matches were sitting.

He struck a match, and carefully raised it above to light the candles in a makeshift chandelier. Well, it was a chandelier, but instead of light bulbs, candles were to be lit.

There wasn't really a kitchen, but a dining table off to the other side of the room as well as a few cupboards. Using a match, Dan lit an oil lamp which was sat on top of the dining table, as well one that was near the entrance to the cottage on top of an end table.

There was an archway which led to a smaller space where Phil could see a bed, and shelves full of books.

"You weren't kidding when you said you read a lot."

"No," Dan laughed. "I wasn't."

Phil was enchanted by the small cottage, full of candles and books and cozy furniture and a rough, brick fireplace.

"So, I don't know if you wanted to stay for the afternoon, or anything, but I can light a fire."

"That sounds nice."

"Alright, well you can sit anywhere you like. That chair there reclines. It's my favorite, besides my actual bed."

Phil sat in the recliner that Dan had gestured to and knelt before the fire place. He had bits of crunchy fall leaves and newspaper and balled some of that up. He pulled a tray of wood closer to him and made a teepee of chopped wood.

He struck a match, and carefully slipped it into the teepee near the kindling and it wasn't long before Dan had a fire warming the room.

"I haven't sat by a real fireplace in a very long time."

"Nice, isn't it?" Dan looked away from the fire, and smiled at Phil. He rose from the floor and then sat on the sofa where he sort of curled himself up.

"I can kind of see why you chose to stay."

"Yeah," Dan grinned.

They both gazed at the fireplace.

Phil had a soft smile on his face, and he was beginning to nod off. He looked over at Dan who continued to gaze at the fire, but suddenly Phil's vision blurred and Dan became a very dark, smaller figure. His vision would come back into focus and he'd see Dan there, but then the blurriness would return and he could only make out a shadow.

He succumbed to sleep, and when he awoke the light had grown much dimmer outside.

Dan was kneeling before the fire, stirring it up and adding another log of wood. He heard Phil stirring and inhaling deeply and he looked over at him.

"You slept for quite a while," Dan said.

"Yeah," Phil sat up, letting the recliner return to it's normal position. He cleared his throat and realized he wasn't wearing any glasses.

"I've got to get back…" he mumbled. "I don't feel like walking that far," he groaned.

"You can stay if you like." Dan stood and grabbed Phil's glasses from the mantel to pass them to him.

"We should go back for some dinner at least, though. Even if I skip out on work tomorrow," Phil said as he slid his glasses into place.

"You're not going to work tomorrow?"

"Well, I'm thinking about just calling in and saying I won't be able to make it."

"Well, if you want to go back to your place, we should go soon. It's getting dark."

"Right."

Dan grabbed a bucket of sand and tossed it over the fire, effectively putting it out. It grew very dark in the small cottage, yet instead of a foreboding feeling, it felt rather peaceful. Like a sanctuary.

Dan led the way back to Phil's house and the terrain soon become inconsistent again and Phil nearly tripped over the roots of a tree.

Dan had caught him by the hand, and Phil looked up as he righted himself, smiling at Dan. That familiar rush went through him and Dan smiled back.

They continued to walk with their hands clasped until they reached Phil's home.

Phil led Dan up the porch steps, and unlocked the door, letting them both in. He put a movie on for them, but let it play as background noise for himself.

"So, are you actually going to skip work tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'd sort of much rather stay here and be with you."

Phil began to do some prep work for dinner. He brought out some steak to de thaw as well as some potatoes to rinse and scrub.

Dan ignored the movie and lingered in the kitchen with Phil for a bit while he worked on their food.

All of the things that Dan had explained to him began to swirl about in his head.

"Dan, you said something earlier and I'm still confused by what you meant."

"What was that?"

"You said that because of what you were, you were made to be lonely… until you met me."

Dan sighed. "It's really hard to explain. I'm not… normal. I'm not like you. I mean I'm like you, but not like anyone else you've ever met probably."

"Dan, what are you getting at?"

"I'm not exactly human."

"Okay. Good one, Dan." Phil grinned and nearly chuckled.

"I'm being very serious, Phil."

Phil was a bit struck by the tone that he used.

"Ar-, Are you?"

"Yes. And I mean, I am human, but there is a part of me that's more than that. I am sort of… your soul mate."

"Soul mate?"

"You don't believe in that sort of thing, Phil?"

"Well, I'd never really thought about it."

"Well," Dan reached out for one of Phil's hand, pressed it firmly over his heart and immediately he felt the surge of energy passing between them both. "Think about that feeling, Phil. You feel it, don't you?"

Phil gulped, but answered, "I do," in a small voice as he glanced down at his hand splayed across Dan's chest through his black, long sleeved shirt.

"Can you explain what that is? I was created and conceived just for this; this-, connection, this energy, this… perfect companionship." Dan had grabbed hold of Phil's other hand as well.

Phil stared unblinkingly into Dan's deep brown eyes. "I'm you're perfect companion, Phil."

"Dan," Phil struggled to speak. The buzzing that ran through him, the electricity that he felt passing through Dan and into himself, and then back again was like nothing he had ever felt.

He had never felt so alive.

Dan brought Phil's hands to wrap around his waist, and embraced him properly for the first time.

"I love you, Phil. I am physically incapable of loving anything more than I love you."

"I love you, Dan."

They were sort of in sync, as Phil pulled back and Dan placed a hand at his cheek, already leaning right back in.

They were a breath away from each other, and Phil couldn't quite remember what breathing was.

He was sure that the two of them could power an entire office building together. His heart was pounding, but his mind was somehow quiet.

He shut his eyes to the feeling, and when he opened them, it looked as if Dan was glowing. He wondered if he looked the same way to Dan.

Phil could count the eyelashes around Dan's eye, and see the flecks of gold amongst the warm brown in his eyes.

He shut his eyes once more and felt the warm, soft lips of his perfect companion against his own, softly moving and persuading.

Dan's mouth left his own, and when Phil opened his eyes, he couldn't believe what he saw.

Dan was glowing. Just faintly, but he had a bit of a luminescence. Phil stepped back to take in the entire image and suddenly Dan was changing before his eyes.

Every gear shifted into place in Phil's mind.

The brown eyes didn't change once, but Phil watched, entranced as Dan's long lean body suddenly didn't look quite as human. Phil removed his glasses as he continued to marvel at what he was witnessing.

 _I think I'd be a wolf too,_ Dan's words echoed in Phil's mind.

Dan's soft brown hair at the top of his head began to grow and cover his body head to toe.

Despite the brilliant transformation, Dan was able to strip out of his clothing so that they were in a pile beside him and Phil was soon looking down at the brown-eyed wolf he'd been encountering in the clearing amongst the trees.

Phil lowered himself to a kneeling position, his legs weak and wobbly. He left his glasses on the kitchen tile beside them.

"Dan?"

The wolf had at first been sitting and he rose to stand in front of Phil, eye to eye.

He never really made the connection, that being in the forest in that clearing with this wolf, made him feel exactly the same way when he was with Dan.

This wolf that had Dan's eyes and hair color and affection for Phil.

"Dan."

Large paws on his chest pushed Phil back into the kitchen floor. Luckily, he caught himself on his hands a bit, but still slipped.

Dan looked down at Phil in concern, but he was alright so he smiled up at his companion and then a long and warm kiss was left across the side of Phil's face.

Dan settled, laying across Phil as if he were his dog bed.

"I really wish I had realized sooner."

Dan turned his long snout to look at Phil.

"Are you going to be like that for a while now?"

Dan stared deep into Phil's eyes for a few moments and suddenly there was a voice in his head that was not his own.

 _I can change at will, but sometimes I can't stop it if I'm feeling upset or very immensely happy. Like I am now._

"Will you change back soon then?"

 _Yes, but I'll be naked._

"I can move to the other room…"

 _It doesn't bother me to change back right here if it doesn't bother you._

"It doesn't."

Dan slowly moved off of Phil, accidentally pressing a paw into his ribcage a bit too hard and he let out a breath as he sat up.

 _Sorry 'bout that._

Dan sat on his hind legs, and slowly, his pale, human skin began to be revealed again and Dan was once again the way Phil recognized him best. However, he was very naked, sitting cross-legged on his kitchen floor. He rested his head in his hand, which was propped up on his knee by his elbow. He looked far more contented than Phil had ever seen, despite his nakedness.

Phil quickly stood and walked the few feet to grab the extra blanket he kept hanging on the back of his couch.

He knelt in front of Dan, throwing the blanket around him, and then mirrored Dan and sat cross-legged.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner. I'm not the only with this sort of… ability, I guess you could call it, and others have tried to share this part of themselves with their companion a bit too soon and sometimes things don't go as smoothly."

Phil put his glasses back on.

"I wish I'd been smart enough to realize. I mean, just seeing you for the first time, in the forest, made me believe it might have been a dream."

"You're very smart, Phil."

"I don't know…"

Phil slowly stood and helped Dan up.

"No wonder you freaking like steak so damn much." Phil suddenly blurted and Dan chuckled, holding onto the blanket. Their laughter filled Phil's house.

Dan dressed and Phil finished cooking.

Phil shamelessly would reach out and touch Dan, even if it was just by brushing his hand by his shoulder, or to touch his hair throughout the night.

And as they lie in bed they spoke softly.

"I'm glad you know now."

"I am too."

"I love you, Phil."

"I love you, too."


	5. Chapter 5

Phil awoke the next morning wrapped up by Dan.

He had gone shirtless like he had the other night and Phil could feel the smooth planes of his chest, the soft skin pulled against his muscle.

Dan shifted and as he awoke he realized he was holding onto Phil. He didn't let go or pull back, but Phil wanted to get a look at him so he leaned back.

"If I kiss you right now," Phil paused as Dan smiled slightly, "will you be," he used Dan's words from the night before, "very immensely happy and then change?"

"I might… I can try not to though. But sometimes I can't stop it."

"Okay, try really hard then," Phil said, almost a whisper and Dan shut his eyes.

Phil left a soft peck on Dan's mouth and then another on his cheek. When he leaned back again, Dan opened his eyes, let out a breath and smiled widely at Phil.

"You alright?" Phil asked him quietly.

"I think so."

Phil let out a bit of a chuckle. "Good morning, by the way."

Dan laughed and he readjusted Phil's blanket at his shoulder.

They grew quiet, and remained silent for some time.

Eventually, Phil said, "So… what exactly are you? Are you primarily a wolf… or a man?"

"What I am," Dan began to explain. "my spirit, is essentially the animal you identify with most, but personified."

"So, sort of like a spirit animal."

"Yeah, for the most part. I am human, but the energy that you feel, comes from inside me, from my spirit, which is the wolf that I can then change into. I hope that makes sense."

"It does."

"So inside I am a wolf, but physically, and mentally and emotionally on the surface I am very human."

"That's sort of a relief."

"Why?"

"Cause this whole thing would be a lot weirder."

"Oh God, Phil." Dan smiled widely and laughed.

Across the room, in Phil's jeans that he wore the day before, came Phil's ringtone that he had set for the restaurant he worked at.

"Shit," Phil sat up and quickly grabbed his jeans and answered the phone.

"Hello?" He sat on the edge of his bed and Dan sat up to listen.

"I've accidentally slept in… No, I started to feel sick yesterday, thought it would have passed by morning but I still feel pretty ill. Right. Thanks."

Phil hung up and groaned. "I feel so bad. I hate lying."

"Don't worry about it." Dan maneuvered around the bed so that he could sit cross-legged beside Phil.

"I know…" Phil sighed. "Well, we should probably make breakfast or something. Is there anything in particular you want to eat?"

"Er, whatever you make is cool. You worry about me too much."

"I don't mind, but I'll just make some fried eggs with toast then."

Phil made them both an egg with some toast, making a mental note to get sausage and bacon for the house next time he went out. Dan would like that, he thought.

After Phil put the egg sandwiches on plates and collected two forks they sat at Phil's dining table. Dan had grabbed one of his sweaters and Phil smiled, seeing him in it.

"So just between you and me," Phil said. "I make the best egg sandwiches," he gloated.

"It's just an egg. On toasted bread." Dan said flatly.

"I'm a good freaking cook, okay."

Dan chuckled. "Just teasing you." He bit into his sandwich and after he had chewed and swallowed he said, "it really is quite good."

"Thanks."

Dan grinned at him.

"Hey… so, I was wondering what happened to your parents?" Phil quietly asked. He still had so many questions.

"I mean, if you feel like talking about it," He added quickly.

"It's fine," Dan took another bite of his sandwich before speaking again.

"Well, mum went to live with my dad in the city after they met. She was like me, you know. She was his companion."

"But it's harder for us to live in the city. Too many people, too many chances for someone to realize that we weren't like them. To them, we just weren't human. But we feel just like they do. We aren't just animals. But anyways… when I was born I looked just like any other baby. But because we bonded as she first breastfed me, I changed and the doctors flipped out. Dad was there and he helped us get out, thank goodness, but we had to go back into hiding basically. Back home, in the woods."

"I don't know if you ever heard about it on the news or anything, they may have tried to cover it up, but when mum went back into town one day, she was recognized and nearly got away, but she was… killed."

"I was still kind of young at that point. Maybe eleven I think. Not sure. It was a long time ago."

"While mum and I had been living, you know, out there, Dad was still able to work at his company, but then after she died… he took his own life. He shot himself."

Phil had stopped eating at this point. He lost his appetite.

"Dan," he said brokenly.

"See, some companions have a really strong connection. More than others. It sort of runs through my line, my family, but it makes it much worse if one of them loses the other. When mum was killed, he basically was a shell of himself. He felt as if he no longer had a purpose, a reason to live. He felt as if he were already dead."

"But he left you by yourself?" Phil was surprised by the force in his own voice.

"Phil, I don't blame him. I could see it whenever he came to see me, or I went to see him. He truly was dying on the inside. He did care for me so much, and made sure I'd be alright, and I miss him just as much as my mother, but he was ready to go."

Phil leaned back in his chair. It sounded as if Dan was done speaking. His vision blurred and he tried not to cry, but sobs shook his shoulders and he put a hand over his face.

Dan had never seen him cry until then, and it hurt him to know that his own experiences affected Phil that much.

"I'm not alone anymore though, Phil," he said. "I'm so glad I've met you. Please don't be upset about what happened. It was a long time ago."

"If I only we had met much sooner," Phil said as he tried to collect himself. He wiped away the wetness on his cheek and took a deep breath.

"Companions only ever meet when the time is right. Any time sooner than now could have caused things to end very badly."

"I just wish you hadn't been alone for so long."

"Maybe it would have been nicer to have met earlier, but you didn't really feel that pull until more recently, right? That's because that was when we were meant to meet."

"I suppose you're probably right. You know more about it than I do."

Dan hummed in agreement.

"So I don't know anything about your family, Phil. What are your parents like?"

Phil smiled. "Mum and Dad are great. I go over to see them sometimes and have dinner with them. Actually this Sunday I'll be going to have dinner with them."

"That's nice," Dan smiled.

"You could come with if you like."

"And you'd introduce me as?"

"Er, still working that part out, actually," Phil said, smiling uncertainly.

"Let me know when you've sorted it out." Dan grinned back at him.

"They've known I like guys. I mean, I could tell them you're my boyfriend and it shouldn't bother them. I mean, if boyfriend if what I should even call you…"

"But you've never even mentioned me to them though, right? It'd still be quite sudden."

"You're right. Perhaps another Sunday then."

Phil stood and took care of their abandoned plates of mostly eaten egg sandwiches, taking them to the sink.

Phil hadn't realized that Dan was behind him until the hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he felt two hands at his waist.

"By the way," Dan's quiet voice filled his ears. "You can definitely call me boyfriend."

"Okay, boyfriend," Phil replied quietly and he heard the small gasp that escaped Dan.

He turned to look at Dan, who looked a bit astonished by Phil as he smiled widely.

He wrapped his arms around Dan and they hugged for a few moments.

When they pulled back, Phil began a series of questions.

"Do you know what anime is?"

Dan shook his head.

"Doctor Who?"

Another head shake.

"Supernatural?"

Nope.

"You, me, couch, and Netflix. All day."

"All day?"

"All day. You are not missing out anymore."

Phil wasn't kidding when he said all day. For lunch they ate leftovers from the other night, and at dinner time, Phil used a skillet to grill up a few hamburgers for the two of them.

"Hey, so there was another thing I was curious about." Phil asked Dan as they ate their burgers.

"What's that?"

"Have you ever, like, killed and eaten a rabbit or anything?" He cringed as the asked the question.

Dan chuckled, and shook his head. "No, but I do crave rare meat a lot. What sucks is that I was never able to go out, buy some meat, and store it in a fridge like you. If I ever really needed to get just a really good steak I'd go to a restaurant and blow about fifteen dollars, but it was really worth it 'cause sometimes I feel really tired and stuff like that without the protein and iron."

"I usually sort of just ate a lot of canned goods. Which, you can actually get a lot of your food groups from cause there is canned fruit, beans, vegetables all sorts of stuff. So I've done alright. Oh, and also jarred stuff. Like peanut butter. It's so damn good. It's got the fat and protein that's needed."

"That's good."

After they finished eating, Phil had to wash the dishes and start the dishwasher before they put on a movie to watch.

Much like Dan had done the first night he spent with Phil, he watched their movie with his head in Phil's lap and Phil would play with his hair absentmindedly.

They eventually migrated into Phil's bed and as usual Dan went shirtless and Phil had never actually changed out of his pajamas from the night before, but neither of them cared.

To Dan, Phil just smelt like Phil and the wonderful food he was always cooking.

Dan began to speak, after they were lying there for a few minutes, sort of pretending to make an attempt at actually sleeping.

"That first night I stayed here… after I came in here with you I dozed off for a while, but then I woke up, you know, as a wolf and I was afraid because I had let my guard down so I thought I needed to leave before I accidentally changed again."

"'S alright. You were forgiven, and even though I said that it doesn't mean its forgotten, I had kind of forgotten about it."

Dan let out a small laugh. "Just thought I'd explain what happened, you know."

"Yeah."

"Sucked though, because when I changed back I was all tangled up in my clothes." He added in an annoyed tone.

Phil laughed into the darkness.

The next morning Dan woke up as Phil had sat up on the edge of the bed.

"Alright?" He said.

Phil turned to look at Dan for a moment. "Yeah, I'm just going to have a shower, I think."

"Can I take one after you… and borrow some clothes. Just for now. I can probably bring some of my things over later today. I mean, if that's alright."

Phil stood and then smiled reassuringly at Dan. "Yeah, that's fine. I was actually going to ask if you want to bring some of your things over. Kind of, unofficially move in."

"Thanks," Dan smiled.

When Phil was done showering and brushing his teeth and things, he dressed and left the restroom. Dan was lying on his living room floor with a book.

His odd ways of doing things were one of his favorite things about Dan, Phil thought, if he could even decide on a favorite.

Dan looked up, noticing that Phil was sort of just watching and smiling at him.

Phil looked away pointedly and walked into the kitchen.

He could hear Dan laughing softly.

Phil made himself a bowl of cereal and before he sat down to eat he remembered, "Oh, er, you should be able to find whatever you need in the bathroom. Extra toothbrush, or a towel could be found under the sink."

"Oh, right, thanks." Dan got up from his spot on the floor.

Dan put the book where he had found it on the shelf.

"Oh, and er, Dan?" Phil said.

Dan turned back to look at him as he added quickly, "It'sabitmessydon'tjudgeme."

Dan just chuckled and shook his head before going into the restroom to take a shower.

Phil had brought him some clothes and brought them in to the restroom for Dan while he was still enjoying the hot water.

When he was done and dressed and clean and fresh, he walked out to the living room where he found Phil tidying things up.

"Er, so, Chris called me while you were in the shower. He's going to come over today, and I really only ever see him on the weekends, so I didn't want to say no. So I'm just warning you, he's a little shithead, okay? He will probably tease me relentlessly about having you over 'cause I never see anyone."

"I can go while he is over…" Dan said.

"No, I kind of want him to meet you. Plus, he said there was actually something sort of important he had to tell me, so I'm not sure if he'll even be in a teasing mood, anyway. But you never know. He can be pretty inappropriate sometimes."

"Alright then. Er, do you need help with anything?" Dan offered to help as Phil continued to tidy things up.

"You're alright."

Dan and Phil ate lunch together and around 4, Chris rapped melodically on Phil's front door.

"That'll be him," Phil said and got up from the couch. Dan wasn't sure how to behave when meeting a friend of Phil's so he followed him to the front door.

When Phil pulled the door open, he said, "Hey Chris."

"Hey," Chris's eyes flicked from Phil to Dan, who lingered awkwardly behind Phil. "Looks like someone's got a boyfriend."

He grinned cheekily at Dan. "Hey, handsome."


	6. Chapter 6

"Chris," Phil sighed and put a hand over his face in frustration, but despite that a blush was evident on his face.

"Erm..." Dan said through a small laugh.

"Chris, this is Dan. Dan, Chris."

"Mind if just call you handsome?"

"Chris!" Phil groaned.

But Dan retorted with, "just don't call me boyfriend. That's only for Phil to use."

Chris gasped, as did Phil, earning a cheeky smile from Dan.

Nothing had ever made Chris speechless. Phil on one hand was grateful that he had gone quiet, but on the other hand, his cheeks went up in flames.

"Well, then. Let me know if he ever loses the right to call you that."

"Jesus Christ, you two."

"What?" Chris said, feigning innocence.

"Forget it. Come on in then, Chris."

 _At least I know they'll get along,_ Phil thought to himself.

He shut the door after Chris stepped inside.

"You want some soda or anything, Chris?" he asked him.

"Yeah, sure. That'd be nice, thanks."

Phil hummed in response and went into the kitchen. He collected a soda for Dan as well as Chris.

Chris plopped himself down on the couch, already making himself at home.

Dan sat in the recliner off to the side and opened his own soda.

There was something radiating off of Chris. An energy, a vibrancy and he seemed to be very… alive, and animated. Dan could see it in his eyes… he'd met his companion.

"What was it you wanted to tell me about?" Phil asked as he sat on the couch, nearer to the recliner.

"Er, well…" He glanced from Dan and then Phil, his playful attitude and mannerism seemed to diminish.

"I can go…" Dan said quietly, not oblivious.

"No… It's just something strange that happened..."

"You don't need to tell me about strange," Dan laughed and Phil grinned, before returning his attention to his friend.

"Er, well, Phil, you remember when you had said you had seen that wolf that one night?"

Phil hummed, prompting Chris to continue.

"I met this coyote."

"A coyote?" Phil stared at Chris without unwavering. Was it possible…?

"Yeah. He just walked up to my porch one morning and I didn't understand. I tried to shoo him away but he had this look in his eye as if I was stupid. I swear if he were a person he would have been laughing at me."

"That's sort of how it felt when I saw that wolf. Well, not exactly but I felt as if he were more like a human than an animal." Phil glanced at Dan for a moment and then back to Chris.

"So what happened then?" Dan wondered.

"Well, the bloody animal just wouldn't shoo. He came up to me and I was a bit freaked. I thought he was going to bite me or something!"

Dan chuckled, but Chris continued explaining. He looked about the room in thought, as if he were still on his front porch with the coyote.

"But he didn't. He was really… er, cautious. Like he knew I was afraid, so he walked toward me real slowly."

"And then he let out a sort of whine so I knelt to look at him evenly, in case he was injured or something and he… Well, he did the last thing I expected. He licked my face."

"Licked your face? Sort of like a dog kiss?"

"Yeah, like a dog kiss. Exactly. But what was weird is that it was sort of nice. Like, really nice."

Phil cracked up at that last remark, and Chris put his hands out defenselessly.

"I told you it was strange, mate. Don't laugh."

"So when was this?"

"Just yesterday morning before work."

"Have you seen him since then?"

"Well, yeah, yesterday night as well as that morning."

"Did you see him this morning at all?"

"No…"

"You sort of wanted to, I bet, huh?" Phil asked.

"Oddly enough, yeah. He was sort of sweet. And you know what else, he had really nice blue eyes. Like whoa."

""Like whoa." That's the most profound thing you've said since you've stepped in my doorway."

"Man, quit teasing me." Chris shoved Phil over by his shoulder and he just let out a burst of laughter at his friend.

Dan chuckled at Chris. "And Phil told me that you'd being the teasing one today."

"Well, it started out that way, but Phil always takes the opportunity to tease me if there is one."

"I have to get you back for all the times you've picked on me," Phil laughed.

"It's only fair," Chris agreed.

"So, what sort of movie do you feel like watching, Chris? Or maybe we can play something?"

"I don't really care… maybe just a movie, or a show."

Dan could see that despite Chris' previous animated mannerisms, he became a bit more dim. Not dim-witted, but he just didn't seem quite as alive as a few moments passed.

"Alright, Chris?" He asked him.

"Er, yeah. I am, Dan. Thanks, though."

"So Dan didn't know what Doctor Who was until yesterday," Phil said to Chris.

"You're serious," he deadpanned.

"It's not my fault I'm a recluse," Dan defended himself.

"So we got through season one, maybe we could start season two?" Phil suggested.

There was a mumble of agreement amongst them and Phil selected Doctor Who from the titles on his television screen.

"David tenant is so handsome. You'd fuck him, huh, Phil?"

"Oh god," Phil shrunk into the sofa, putting a hand over his face. His face was as red as a cherry within seconds and Dan's belly began to roll with laughter.

"Don't laugh at him, Dan. You'd probably fuck him too."

Dan just laughed even harder and Phil glanced up at him as he laughed and for a second he thought he'd never seen or heard anything quite as wonderful. But he let the feeling pass as Chris was right beside him.

"I bet the both of you'd fuck him at once."

"Stop! Oh, my god, stop!" Phil looked at his friend in shock.

"What? I'd fuck him too."

Dan let out another howl of laughter.

"I think I'm killing him." Chris said flatly.

"Yeah, you probably are!"

Outside, at the edge of the forest, a coyote was curled up beneath a tree and could faintly hear the wild laughter of the wolf and his companion, and his own companion.

The previous morning PJ had found him.

He saw the small house a few neighborhoods over, and he lingered for a moment, considered moving on, but then he had stepped out.

He had stopped in his tracks looking down at PJ, who finally knew why his feet carried him here.

He had tried to shoo him away, which PJ knew would have been a foolish thing to do if he were your average coyote.

Carefully, PJ approached him and he looked a bit frightened, so he moved even slower. He took a step back, so he tried to lower his head and ears, make himself look as harmless as possible as he let out an a small whine almost involuntarily.

His companion looked down at him in concern, and sensing that he was not a threat to him, knelt in front of PJ.

And PJ could no longer contain it. He dragged his tongue up the side of his face.

He received a shocked look in response, but even as surprised as he was, he reached and patted the coyote, letting his fingers slip between the strands of surprisingly soft fur.

His companion stood again and stared at PJ in wonder.

"You're sweet and all, but I've got to go to work."

PJ looked up at his companion sadly, but then retreated a few steps as if to say, "Well, what's keeping you, then?"

Inside Phil's home, their host decided to cook up some hotdogs and chili sauce and bake fries in the oven.

"How late are you staying, Chris?" Phil wondered as they ate.

"Oh, right. I imagine you two lovebirds want to be alone. Just kick me out whenever."

Phil had learned to take his teasing in stride a long time.

"In that case, there's the door," he retorted back to Chris, who knew he'd been joking by the smile on his face.

"No, for real, though, you can stay as late as you like."

"I'll just stick around for a couple more episodes of Doctor Who, I think."

After they ate and watched another hour of Doctor Who, Chris did rise from the couch.

"Thanks for dinner, Phil. Excellent to meet you, Dan."

Phil also got up from the couch, Dan following suit. They walked him to the door and Chris turned to them.

To Dan he said, "I'm glad Phil's met you. I can tell you make him happy."

"Chris," Phil was a bit touched, but still he was embarrassed.

"He makes me happy," Dan smiled and he nervously pulled his bottom lip in between his teeth. He glanced at Phil, and then back at Chris.

"Right. Goodnight then guys." He pulled Phil's door open and turned to walk out, but then he stopped, looked back, and said "Don't forget to use protection."

He left Dan laughing and Phil shouting after him.

Phil turned to Dan and he tried to reign in his giggles. "It's good advice," he said, and burst into laughter again.

Chris walked down Phil's porch steps and heard Dan's laughter fading as he walked towards his car. He climbed into his car, thinking he was so glad Phil had met Dan.

The sun had just begun to set as he drove home. He had lived near Phil since they had gone into high school together and never really drifted apart. When he arrived at home, he walked up to his front door, unlocked it and stepped inside. He flicked on the light and looked around his empty house.

It was a mystery why he and Phil had never just moved in together at some point to be roommates.

Phil was the type to enjoy being alone though, he remembered. Chris had never let on that he was growing quite lonely over the past few weeks.

He went out onto his front porch to sit in one of the patio chairs there.

Spending time out here was something really out of character for him, and even he realized it, but he couldn't help but notice how nice it was. To just sit and smell the cool night air and listen to the sounds of the bugs and the breeze in the trees.

He heard the rocks in his driveway shift and he looked over quickly. The blue eyed coyote was stood there, staring intently at Chris.

He wasn't quite as alone as he thought.

The coyote hesitated but then approached Chris, who only had a slight smile on his face.

"Hey, you."

The coyote stood in front of Chris and the animal gently nibbled on his fingers that were resting on the arm of his chair.

He reached out to massage the coyote's neck and he leaned his head into Chris' hand.

"You're a sweetie, huh?"

The coyote looked up at Chris and he saw a glint in the animal's eye before he reached out to tug at his jeans.

"Hey," Chris sort of giggled and the coyote looked up at him, with big shiny blue eyes.

"You're sort of playful, aren't you?"

The coyote nibbled on his jeans again, but then backed up real quick.

"You're asking for it."

The coyote repeated the action, almost with a challenging look in his eye.

Chris and the coyote stared at each other, and then, once again the coyote tugged on his jeans and Chris jumped up.

The coyote moved back as he stood, and then forward again and Chris found himself in a game of cat and mouse with the coyote, much like someone might wrestle with his dog for fun.

Chris was soon out of breath, and because he had been on his hands and knees he rocked back on his shins, letting his legs fold beneath him.

The Coyote looked at Chris and approached him again.

"You've tired me out, mate."

The coyote left a kiss up the side of Chris' face, who giggled and feigned disgust, wiping away the animal's saliva.

The coyote turned its head to look into the darkness, then back at Chris, with a funny look in his eye, before turning away and stalking off.

Has a coyote become his best friend? Chris suddenly wondered to himself with a sudden expression of "that's really fucking weird" on his face.

Yet, that night, he slept quite peacefully, hoping that he'd see the coyote again that weekend.

About a mile away, on the other side of the neighborhood, Phil and Dan had been sitting on the couch, watching a movie, but not really paying attention.

They had put on the movie after Chris had left, and almost as if it were routine, Dan laid his head on Phil's thigh to let him play with his hair.

"That coyote…?" Phil began.

Dan replied, "Yup."

"I'd be so happy if Chris got to feel what I'm feeling right now."

"I could see it in his eye. He's more alive than before. He's definitely met his companion."

"You can see it?"

"Oh, yeah. Definitely."

"Well, we'll probably find out soon enough," Phil said decidedly.

"We will." Dan agreed.

They tuned into the movie but Dan eventually said, "Hey, there was something I wanted to ask you."

"Hmm?"

"You had said the other day, you hadn't cooked for two in a long time and I couldn't help but catch that and wonder what you meant."

"Well… I used to have a roommate. Well, more than a roommate really. She was my girlfriend. And, well… it was a really bad break up."

"What happened?"

"Well, she cheated on me."

"I ought to beat her ass."

Phil chuckled and Dan was glad he managed to do that.

"Not necessary. I don't think I'll ever be speaking to her again."

Dan looked up at Phil, who gazed back steadily.

"Besides, what I've got with you is nothing like I could have ever experienced with her or anyone else."

Phil looked back up at the television and Dan spoke softly, "I love you."

"I love you."

* * *

thanks for reading! like i said in the summary this is an old story but i saw someone on phanfic asking about it so i decided to repost it and recently i set up a dan and phil blog .com if anyone wants to check it out


	7. Chapter 7

_Saturday_

The next morning Phil was immensely grateful that he didn't need to return to work that day.

He woke up with the scent of Dan in his nose and the feeling of his body against his. He shifted to try and untangle himself from Dan.

Phil must have accidentally awakened him because suddenly he took a deep breath and his arms tightened around Phil.

"Mmm, where are you going?" he nuzzled into Phil's shoulder.

"Er, nowhere?"

"That's what I thought."

Phil chuckled and he turned his head to kiss Dan's cheek. He smiled when he heard him take a shallow breath.

"Will it always feel like this?" He wondered.

"Always," Dan confirmed.

Phil shifted so he could look at Dan, who had a soft smile on his face and he grinned back.

He his eyes watered as he woke up a bit more and Dan's smile faltered just slightly.

"Hey, I still feel kind of bad. When you cried after I explained everything to you."

"It's alright. I just…"

"You just?" Dan prompted him to continue.

"Yeah."

Dan chuckled at Phil, who wiped his teary, sleepy eyes.

"Chris is real fun to hang with," he said conversationally.

"Yeah," Phil smiled.

They were a bit quiet for a while, and then Phil said, "I can't wait to meet his companion."

"I know," Dan agreed.

They talked quietly for a little while, but the peace was disturbed when Dan's stomach grumbled.

"Erm..." he laughed.

"Lets go make breakfast," Phil laughed

They both got up and out of Phil's bed. Dan shivered just slightly so Phil got him a sweater from his old chest of drawers.

"Thanks," Dan pulled it over his head and when Phil went into the kitchen to make them some food, he used the restroom.

After he had washed his hands he looked at his reflection. He was so rough looking, he thought. Phil was very clean, and tailored, but he had curly hair and a stubbly chin. He had never had any reason to shave, but it never grew in properly because of that. It was sort of thin and weird, he thought.

And Phil had very nice, straight hair, but his was shaggy and curly and was starting to grow too long. He'd never had a proper hair cut. His mother always cut it for him and after that he just sort of tried to do the same thing she did and it never exactly worked out the way he wanted it too.

"Dan, are you alright?" Phil's voice came through from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, err," he turned and pulled the bathroom door open. "I'm fine. Sorry."

Phil looked a bit concerned but as he looked over Dan he seemed relieved.

"So, I was thinking I'd go to the grocery store today. Restock the supplies, ya know. Do you want to go with me?"

"Er, yeah," Dan looked over Phil's face, and noticed that his hair was still straight from the night before.

"You sure you're alright, Dan?"

"Phil, do you have an extra razor I can use?"

"You want to shave?" Phil looked at him with knitted eyebrows.

"Yeah," he said quietly.

Phil sensed his embarrassment.

"I've never really shaved before. Or at least, not successfully." Dan's face grew pinker as they talked.

"Not successfully?"

"Well, I did once and I cut myself."

"Aw, Dan. Do you want my help?"

Dan put a hand over his face, and with his voice muffled by his hand, he said, "yes, please."

"All you had to do was ask."

"Yeah, but I'm freaking 23 years old, Phil."

"Don't worry about it. Not your fault," Phil assured him, putting a hand at his arm.

"Well, I did sort of choose to live on my own. Because my parents died while I was off the map basically no one was able to find my relatives or anything of that sort. I imagine I could have found them probably..."

"Dan, did you go to school growing up?" Phil blurted out.

It seemed he had loads to learn about Dan still.

"Er, no but I've learned a lot in the books I've read. And my mother taught me basic math and how to read and things like that. Always preferred reading to math."

"Oh, okay I see," Phil paused as a multitude of questions flooded him.

"I know you've got loads of questions that I should answer."

"Uhm, lets not worry about it now, alright? We should get breakfast. You do want to go with me, right?"

"Yeah, definitely. And let's not fuss with my face till later."

"Sure. After we've had breakfast and stuff I can help you."

Phil used the restroom as Dan put on some proper clothing for the day.

Phil dressed as well, and he felt really awful. He could only imagine how embarrassed Dan was that he had never learned how to properly shave.

He had noticed Dan would sometimes run his hand across his own chin, and thought it to be just something he did while thinking but now he realized that maybe he did it out of insecurity.

At the grocery store, they spent much more time in the meat and deli section than Phil had originally intended.

"Dan, this entire cart is going to be full before we even leave this isle," he laughed. "We really only need a few things from here."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Lead the way, Phil," Dan replied, smiling and looking away from the steak they'd previously been eyeing.

"And we did get a steak, but we'd both get tired of it if we had steak all the time," Phil reasoned.

"You're probably right," Dan said as they turned down another isle.

Needless to say, they'd had an interesting trip to the grocery store.

When they returned to Phil's home, he cooked them up some pancakes as well as sausage and bacon.

"This is really good, thanks Phil."

Phil hummed in response and when they finished their breakfast, he cleared their plates and put them in the sink.

"So, you wanted my help?" Phil asked, trying to be as tactful as possible.

"Yeah," Dan said with a sigh.

"Alright, then come on," Phil gently urged him to follow him to the restroom.

"So because we're both so tall, you can stay stood if you want. It'll be a bit easier for me, anyway."

The bathroom was a bit small, but Phil managed to maneuver around Dan as he got his electric razor out from under the sink.

"So I'm a cheater and I use an electric razor actually."

Dan looked at it as if it might bite his fingers off if he got too close.

"It's completely safe," he assured him, plugging it into the wall. "Here, just watch me."

Dan watched as Phil leaned toward the bathroom mirror and smiled at a few of the funny faces he made as he double checked for any stray hairs.

Phil paused, "This is serious instructional stuff, Dan. No smiling allowed."

Dan grinned even wider and he was glad.

Phil looked down at the sink as he lowered the shaver and made a noise of disgust.

"Looks like I'll be cleaning the bathroom this afternoon. But it needed it. Anyways, it's pretty simple. Go for it, if you want."

"Er, Alright,"

Carefully, Dan began to shave as Phil looked on.

He paused and glanced at Phil, who hummed at him in encouragement.

Once Dan was satisfied with his smooth chin and lowered the electric razor, he looked over at Phil.

"Easy peezy," he said to Dan.

"This is about the strangest thing I've done." Dan said as he turned back towards the mirror in scrutiny. He ran his hands along his chin, and made the same faces Phil had previously made.

"You're telling me," Phil replied, earning a smile from the other man.

Phil looked over at the curly shaggy hair of his companion and suddenly said, "Can I straighten you hair?"

"Huh?"

"Like how I do mine. Can I straighten it with the flat iron?"

"Oh, er, yeah if you'd like to…"

"Okay, I probably need you to sit this time." Phil put his hands on Dan's shoulders and guided him to sit on the toilet seat.

He plugged in the flat iron and turned it on. He leaned against the sink as it heated up.

As they waited for it to heat up and he began to straighten his hair, Phil took the opportunity to ask Dan a few more of the questions that were plaguing him.

So they chatted as Phil had fun taking the flat iron to his hair. When he was done, he ran his fingers through Dan's hair.

"It's a bit long, but I think it looks really nice." He said.

Dan stood and looked in the mirror and went a bit wide eyed. He leaned over the sink like had done when he had shaved. He was rather astonished with the difference.

"Whoa, oh my god, look at me. I look like a different person. Holy crap."

"Yeah," Phil laughed.

"It needs to be cut, but I like it straight." He pushed his hair out of his face and decided to leave it that way for the time being.

"Yeah," Phil agreed. "You've got really healthy hair since you've never done anything with it. You might not believe it when I say that I've been dying mine for years."

"Really?"

"Yeah…" Phil let out an awkward laugh. "I'm naturally ginger."

"No way," Dan said.

Phil hummed and said, "My roots will probably look a bit red soon and I'll have to get it dyed again."

"I really had no idea."

"Well, yeah, I'm a natural red head," Phil chuckled.

"When you go to get it dyed, can I get a hair cut?"

"Yeah, definitely. It'll cost a pretty penny though, so if you'd like to help out…"

"Oh, yeah. Of course."

Dan and Phil had migrated to the living room where they watched Doctor Who for a good part of the day.

At one point after they had eaten lunch, Phil had gotten up and did a bit of tidying in the bathroom, kitchen, and his bedroom while Dan continued to watch the show.

When he finally sat back to join Dan, Dan leaned over and put his head in Phil's lap.

He sighed but teased Dan and said, "Been missing me, have you?"

"Yeah," he smiled.

Phil grinned back and he let his fingers slip between the strands of Dan's soft hair.

"Before it gets too late," Dan began. "Should I go and collect a few things from my sort of house?"

"Er, yeah if you'd like to. If you'd prefer to stay here."

"I'd prefer to stay wherever you'll stay."

"Which is here," Phil supplied.

"Right." Dan said with a smile.

"So yeah, that's fine," he said. "I can give you a bag if you want."

"That'd be helpful."

Dan sat up and Phil stood. He went into his room and got an athletic bag out of the top of his closet. It had an over the shoulder strap and was quite big incase there was a lot he wanted to bring back.

He brought it out to Dan.

"Oh, that's perfect," he grinned and stood to take the bag from Phil.

He had put his boots on and grabbed his jacket while Phil was in the other room.

"All set then?"

"Yeah."

Dan headed towards the door and Phil followed to hold it open for him

"Hey, Dan?" Phil said.

"Hm?" Dan turned on the other side of the threshold to the house.

"Hurry back, okay?" He said quietly.

"Phil," Dan set the bag on the floor and stepped forward to pull Phil into his arms.

Phil took a deep breath, pressing his forehead to Dan's shoulder.

"Is it normal to feel awful when you're only going to be gone for like, less than two hours?"

"It's definitely common among those with a very strong bond."

"I'll hurry back, Phil." Dan said. "But I should go before it gets too late. I'm not the only slightly more than human thing out there."

Phil pulled back from Dan and looked at him in confusion. He figured he'd get an explanation later, and said, "Alright. Be careful then. And er," he hesitated.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Dan's face broke out in a smile and he picked the bag up off of the floor. "I love you, too."

* * *

i'll post more today

also i set up a dan and phil themed tumblr - .com check it out if you wanna


	8. Chapter 8

Chris was driving back from the fast food place he frequented and it was beginning to rain. As he drove back into his neighborhood he noticed a tall slim man, walking along the side of the road.

"Hey," Chris slowed up next to him. "Do you need a ride?"

The man looked ay Chris uncertainly. In the darkening day, it was hard to see the man's expression aside from the furrowed eyebrows

"I promise I'm not a serial killer," he added quickly.

"Er... I'm not exactly going anywhere in particular," the man said and Chris knew what he meant.

"Do you need a roof?"

"Look, its real embarrassing, er... I couldn't impose like that on you."

"You won't be."

The man glanced away, ran a hand through his thick brown hair and then looked back over at Chris.

"Come on, really." Chris encouraged him again, moving the bag of food from the seat and onto the floor. "At least while it's still raining."

"Er, alright." the man stepped forward and Chris grinned as he climbed in the car.

"I've gotten a couple of burgers and stuff. So you're in luck, 'cause I'll have extra."

Chris waited till the man had settled and then propelled the car forward again.

"Really, mate... You're too nice."

Chris scoffed. "Yeah, right. I'm pretty sure my friend Phil probably tells everyone I am emotionally abusive."

"I doubt that."

Chris shot him a look, disregarding the man's sincerity.

"Anyways, you've got a name?"

"You can call me PJ."

"Alright then, PJ. My name's Chris. Chris, PJ. PJ, Chris."

PJ chuckled a bit at that, and Chris looked over, momentarily caught up by the man's cool blue eyes. He nearly forgot to breathe.

He looked away quickly and his thoughts slowly returned to him. He nearly drove passed his own home.

Chris shut the car off and then led PJ up the path to the dark wooden front door.

As he unlocked the door and stepped inside, he said to PJ, "I'm a slob so please don't mind the mess."

"You're alright."

The entrance foyer opened up to a living room. Everything was very retro, very 60s. Wooden paneling ran halfway up the walls, the carpet was thick and shaggy and old ornate hanging lamps hung from the ceiling.

It really was quite messy, but PJ didn't really care. It was warm and dry and that was all that he needed.

He was led into the kitchen where Chris flipped on a fluorescent light and laid the bags on white textured tile counter with grout that could have used a scrub.

"Well go ahead and sit," Chris nodded to his dinette table after he cleared a few dishes off of it.

"Thanks," PJ sat down and Chris put a set of fries and a burger in front of him.

Chris sat as well and dug into his own dinner. He noticed PJ's hesitance.

"Eat." Chris said, looking at him pointedly.

He could see that PJ felt awkward as he nibbled on a couple of French fries, but hunger took over and he began to eat more eagerly.

"Here, I'm getting full," Chris lied and as he was finishing his burger he passed him his fries which PJ helped himself too.

Chris politely waited while PJ finished his food and then threw out their trash.

"So, I was thinking about video games, but I could put a movie on for us."

"Whatever," PJ said softly.

"Hey, man. Lighten up," Chris gave him a pat on the shoulder as he stood.

He let out an awkward chuckle and followed Chris into the living room.

"Sit," he said to PJ, who obeyed and lowered himself to the couch while Chris turned on the television and knelt beside his Xbox to turn it on.

"You're kind of bossy."

"Well, you've just been standing around with your tongue hanging out of your mouth." He turned to look at the slim bodied man.

"Have not," PJ argued.

"Have too," Chris shot back, and a smile pulled at his cheeks when he noticed the grin that PJ was sporting.

As Chris settled onto the couch, PJ looked over at him and said, "Hey thanks for this, you know. For letting me stay for a night."

"Don't mention it. Oh," he added when he glanced over and began to slip his own shoes off. "You can take your shoes off if you want."

PJ took him up on that offer and brought his legs up onto the couch, curling up into himself a bit.

Chris was glad he had chosen a comedy movie because he noticed that PJ seemed to grow a bit relaxed throughout the night and they watched a second movie.

He couldn't help but think that PJ was beautiful and incredibly sexy and rather funny.

As PJ shifted a bit, Chris' eyes settled on his long legs.

He noticed this, and with a smirk, he cleared his throat.

Chris' eyes flicked back up to PJ's and he looked away to focus on the movie.

"Someone's a bit distracted huh?" PJ teased.

Chris glanced back at over him, about to shoot back with a retort, but his breathe caught in his throat at the look in PJ's eyes.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and goose bumps broke out across his skin.

"Cat got your tongue?"

Chris snapped himself out the trance he had seemed to fall into for a moment.

"Shut up," he kicked PJ in the thigh. PJ returned the kick with a nudge of his own, looking at Chris with a daring look.

However, he ignored it and PJ laughed at him. They returned their attention to the movie occasionally making a comment about something and sharing a laugh.

That night, as they grew sleepy, Chris grabbed PJ some blankets and pillows to lie on the couch and an extra pair of pajama pants. He retreated to his own room, quickly changed and collapsed onto his bed.

PJ was a good guy, he thought.

And damn, did he kind of want to fuck him.

His eyes were incredibly expressive, and his voice was utterly suggestive.

"Damn," he muttered to himself, remembering that PJ was, essentially, homeless.

"I pick the good ones, don't I?"

Chris woke late in the night to the feeling of the bed sinking and the warmth of another body beside him.

"PJ?" he croaked into the darkness.

"Yeah," he replied quietly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

The blankets shifted and the sound filled Chris' ears.

He dozed off again without another coherent thought.

In the morning he awoke, and he could only vaguely remember PJ crawling into bed beside him, but he found something much different than a man beside him.

Amongst the blankets his vision was filled sandy colored hair and blue eyes of the coyote he had encountered.

"What the fuck?"

Chris shot up and the animal looked at him in uncertainty. PJ's clothes were tangled up amongst the blankets.

Chris knew this was the same animal that he met before, as it had the same eyes, but where the hell did PJ go? Was he just walking around nude?

How did this animal get into his house?

"What the hell?" Chris slipped out of his bed and stood, watching the animal carefully.

"How the fuck did you get in here?"

Blue eyes blinked up at him, and it looked as if he were smiling.

Chris navigated around his bed, and crossed his room to open his bedroom door.

"PJ, are you out here?" He called out, expecting PJ to be on the couch, but there wasn't a soul.

He looked back to the animal that had sat up in his bed, the blanket settling about its mid back.

"Well fuck me if you aren't kind of adorable," Chris said.

 _Aw, you really think so?_

"Well, ye-," He stopped.

"What?"

 _You heard me?_

Chris sputtered, trying to make sense of everything of that was going on.

PJ's voice in his head, this coyote with the same shade of blue eyes, PJ's clothes scattered on his bed, PJ no where to be seen…

Chris didn't believe in magic or fantasies, but he wasn't stupid either.

"PJ?" he asked with hesitation. "Is that you in there?"

 _Erm, yeah…This wasn't supposed to happen like this._

"I don't even know what _this_ is!" Chris gestured frantically to the animal, or PJ, or the animal. He couldn't tell what was what anymore.

 _It's rude to point._

"Jesus Christ," Chris ran a hand over his face and through his hair, a stressed smile on his face. "This is way too freaking strange."

 _I'm sorry._

"I think I'm fucking losing it." Chris began to pace. "I need to wake up. I'm dreaming."

With eyes shut tightly Chris walked back and forth, smacking the sides of his own face.

"C'mon wake up, Chris," he muttered to himself.

"Chris."

While Chris had his eyes shut, PJ had returned to his old self and was now sitting cross-legged on the bed. He brought the blanket over himself, but he was still very naked, and despite that on some level Chris knew and understood what was going on, he couldn't help but let his eyes linger on PJ's bare chest.

He gulped and refocused. "I don't understand," he said weakly.

He tried to understand that this incredibly attractive man, who made him feel so young and alive again, had just been in the shape of a coyote. The same coyote he'd met on his porch.

"Don't try to."

"You're a freaking animal!" Chris exclaimed. He was overwhelmed with confusion.

"I'm not an animal." The sharp tone PJ used caught him by surprise.

"Then…?"

"I'm 100% human, Chris. Just… my essence, what my spirit is made up of is your spirit animal. I was made to be your companion, Chris. I'm your companion, your spirit animal… Your soul mate."

"Like some magical-shape-shift-love-voodoo thing?"

"It's not voodoo. But however it makes sense to you…."

"It doesn't even make any sense."

"Could be worse. You could've completely lost it and tried to kill me."

"Yeah-, Wait. What?"

PJ sighed. "That sort of thing happens sometimes."

"Are you for real?"

"No, I'm a figment of your imagination."

"Oh, good," Chris jokingly put a hand over his chest and let out a breath.

"Maybe sarcasm isn't a good idea right now. But yes, I'm being serious. Being someone's companion is a big burden because you don't know how to tell them. And sometimes it goes bad. It's rare that it does, but it does."

"That's awful."

"Yeah."

"So… how do you…?"

"Shape shift?"

Chris nodded.

"Well, I've never really completely understood it. But our body chemistry is a bit different. Something in our DNA."

"Can you show me?"

PJ didn't speak in response, but began to shift.

Chris watched, wide-eyed, as he began to radiate a dim, but glowing light.

His hair color changed and covered him head to foot. He soon was looking down in astonishment at the coyote in his bed.

 _You could say I'm an animal in bed._

Of course he would manage to crack a joke.

"That's brilliant," Chris laughed.

He approached the animal, or PJ, and reached out to stroke his neck and let his fingers slide between the soft strands of fur. He lowered himself to sit on the bed.

"I kind of knew there was a reason I liked you so much."

PJ let his tongue slip out, and kissed Chris' hand, and then nibbled gently on his fingers.

He sat beside the animal and he left one great kiss along the side of his face with his soft, warm tongue.

Chris chuckled, and patted the side of his body.

He retracted his hand and PJ decided then to return to his most distinctive form. The form Chris was most familiar with.

"You really are kind of beautiful," he said to PJ, momentarily unaware of his nakedness.

"You are too."

Chris reached out and put a hand to his cheek. Despite that he understood easier this way, that PJ was still PJ, he was even more hesitant this way to touch him.

He gently let his thumb run across PJ's bottom lip, earning a part from them.

The sensuality of the moment caused both of their bodies to react. It was much different than when he looked like a coyote.

Chris' thumb slipped into the wetness of PJ's mouth and he let out a soft gasp. He stared, entranced by the feeling.

His eyes flicked back up to PJ's who looked right back at him.

"Fuck," Chris gasped as he held his face in his hands.

He leaned in to kiss PJ hard on the mouth, eliciting a sigh from him.

"Chris," PJ breathed as he broke the kiss, the hesitation evident in his voice.

Chris opened his eyes, finding PJ's face screwed up in concentration.

"You alright?"

"Yeah. It's just… sometimes we can't stop it when we change. If we're particularly worked up about something we'll change. And I'm trying not to do that."

"Fuck, I want you."

"Chris." PJ groaned loudly.

"Sorry," he glanced around, away from PJ. "Look, here are your pants and stuff." He stood and collected the things that he had been wearing before and gave them to PJ.

"Thanks," PJ stood and redressed himself, while Chris tactfully restrained himself from staring.

When he redressed himself, PJ looked at Chris, who shuffled about awkwardly.

A slow smile spread across his face, and Chris grinned too as if it were contagious.

An awkward chuckle slipped passed PJ's lips, and the other man found himself laughing as well.

"This is so strange."

"Everything sort of is, don't you think?"

Chris silently agreed and began to lead them through the motions of the morning routine of eating breakfast. They spent the day watching movies and different series on DVD and talking and Chris learned more about PJ.

PJ previously lived with a sibling but because of something that he didn't disclose with him just yet, he couldn't stay there anymore.

He had an awful look on his face, Chris had thought. He seemed to carry himself with a sort of sadness and maybe it was because of what PJ wasn't ready to tell him yet, or maybe it was because those like him always felt that way, but Chris was surprising himself with how much he _cared._

Despite the heavier, vague conversations, they had loads of fun that day. Chris introduced him to a couple of new video games and it turned out PJ was a worthy opponent in Mario Kart.

They picked on each other, in a similar way to the way he and Phil teased each other, but their easy companionship was a bit different still.

He loved PJ. He loved that he could be young and ridiculous with him. And damn, did he feel a rush whenever PJ looked at him a certain way or his teasing would take on a flirty edge.

"I want Phil, my friend, to meet you." Chris sent a text to Phil.

"Is that cool?"

"Yeah, I'd like to meet your friends and stuff." PJ smiled.

"Alright, he works tomorrow so we're gonna go bug him and make him serve us lunch."

He laughed in response. "Sounds like fun."

PJ spent the night again, and stayed in Chris' room with him. Although they had been hesitant to take part in much more than brief touches during the day PJ fell asleep with his head on Chris' chest.


	9. Chapter 9

Phil spent the next hour and a half in a state of complete anxiety. He couldn't just relax and watch more Doctor Who. He walked around the apartment, tidying things and began to cook dinner for when Dan returned.

What if Dan got hurt? What the hell did he mean by 'not the only slightly more than human thing'? What if it starts raining and his things get ruined?

To Phil's dismay, as it grew darker, rain began to fall.

He gazed out the window of his bedroom, which faced the outskirts of the neighborhood and he could just hardly see the edge of the trees.

Water slowly trickled down the glass and he pushed off of the sill where he had been leaning. He slipped his glasses off and ran a hand through his hair, with a deep sigh.

He returned to the kitchen to check on the steak's he had begun to cook. In the oven, potatoes were being baked and he planned on also cooking up a can of beans.

The food was nearly done when Dan walked through the door, heaving the full athletic bag into the house.

Phil abandoned the pot of beans, and headed straight for the foyer where Dan stood, his hair and shoulders damp.

He let out a breath and Dan dropped the bag on the wooden floor.

Before he really thought about what he was doing, he crossed the small foyer and pressed his lips to Dan's, absolutely vibrating with relief.

Dan's lips parted with a gasp and Phil took that as permission to let his tongue slip into his mouth.

He could feel Dan's hands gripping his shirt tightly, but he didn't protest as he kissed Phil back.

After a few moments of heavy breathing and moving lips, Dan pulled away and with wide-eyes he stared into Phil's blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," Phil said between breaths. "Are you alright?"

"I think so." Dan breathed.

He rested his forehead at Phil's shoulder, his hands never letting up on the back of Phil's shirt.

"You caught me by total surprise, Phil."

"I'm sorry."

"I mean, don't apologize. I've wanted to do that, too. I'm just… not the type to be quite _that_ affectionate without really thinking about it first. Not impulsive, is the right word."

"Well, neither am I, but I felt awful when you were gone and it started to rain and I was so worried and I just wanted to touch you, but just a hug wasn't enough and-," Phil cut himself off. He was rambling. And with run-on sentences.

"I know."

Phil could feel Dan's shoulders rise and fall with a deep breath. He pulled away and despite how worked up he had already gotten, he leaned back in and kissed Phil again.

Their lips moved together much slower this timer, and Phil let his hand cup Dan's neck while the other was at his waist, holding him closer.

Dan took a deep breath as he pulled back once more and said to Phil, "Is there something burning?"

"Shit!" Phil suddenly exclaimed, abandoning Dan at the foyer and rushing to the kitchen where he quickly stirred up the beans.

Dan shut the front door to the house and grabbed the bag. He took the bag to set it next to the couch and grinned as Phil fussed with the pot of beans.

"They're a bit burnt, but they're okay," Phil turned off the stove and pushed the pot back onto the cooler burner.

"That's fine."

"You know, I wouldn't have been able to tell they were burning unless you said something. Usually you can't smell it if beans are burning."

Dan just tapped his nose. "It's the wolf thing."

"Right. I should have figured."

Dan hummed and took his jacket off to hang it on the rack in the foyer.

He returned to the kitchen where Phil had pulled out some baked potatoes.

"Go ahead and make a plate," he said as he pulled out some butter and cheese to put on the potatoes.

"Oh, it's all done?"

Phil hummed and Dan got a plate out of the cupboard he had seen him going into previously.

They filled their plates and sat at the dining table together.

"Try the cheese on your potatoes. I promise you, it is divine."

"Not as divine as _you_ taste, Phil."

Phil had been raising his fork to his mouth, but stopped mid-bite.

"You're a flirty little shit, aren't you?"

"Yeah, well, er…" Dan trailed off and Phil chuckled, earning a smile from him.

After they ate and Phil quickly cleaned their mess they settled on the couch together and they put on a movie.

"Oh, you brought clothes and stuff, right?" Phil asked as the beginning movie credits began rolling.

"Yeah. Pajamas and stuff like that. The blanket mum made, the jean jacket my grandpa wore… a few books and a music box my mum played for me sometimes."

"A music box?"

"Yeah," Dan got up from the couch and knelt next to the bag, which, to Phil's relief hadn't gotten too wet when Dan carried it home. Phil leaned over the side of the couch to watch just after quickly pausing Netflix.

He unzipped the bag and shuffled things up for a bit, before carefully pulling a small wooden box out from within a jean jacket.

The wooden box had intricate and detailed carvings of a few different animals on it. He could make out an eagle, a wolf, and a deer.

"It's beautiful."

"Grandpa actually made it for mum, and she gave it to me. The three of us, grandpa, mum and I, lived together for a while. He was quite old, and well, you know how that goes." Dan said as he twisted the wind at the back of the box.

"Yeah," Phil said quietly. "Well, open it up, I want to hear it."

Dan lifted the lid to the box as he rocked back onto his shins. A small wooden wolf was spinning in the center of the box as the sweetest music filled Phil's home.

It reminded Phil of what it was like to lie underneath the full moon, or see the sunlight filter through summer green trees and watch a butterfly flit by him. It reminded him of Dan's sweet brown eyes as he smiled at him while his head lay in his lap.

The entire house was filled with a mystical peace and it touched Phil in a way that music had never done before.

Dan looked up at him, an entranced smile on his face as he was affected as much as Phil was.

The music ended and Phil didn't quite know what to say. It was truly magical.

Dan shut the lid, which seemed to snap loudly and it broke the trance they both seemed to be in.

"That was really beautiful," Phil said.

"Yeah," Dan smiled up at him.

"We can put that up on a shelf," he suggested and stood.

Dan looked around. "How about there?" He nodded towards the top of Phil's bookshelf.

"Wherever you like is fine."

Dan stood and put the music box at the top of the shelf and he smiled, satisfied.

Phil grinned at him as he was rejoined by Dan at the couch.

They began their movie and through the progression of the night, they had grown closer. Phil was laying back, his legs bent and hanging off the couch while Dan was curled up, his head on Phil's chest.

When the movie ended they sleepily moved into Phil's room. They changed into their pajamas, used the restroom, and Phil set the alarm for work tomorrow. As he lie down, pulling the covers over both of them, he realized something.

He was going to be at work for six whole hours the next day.

He let out a soft groan.

"Phil?"

"I'm dreading work tomorrow."

"It'll be alright," Dan promised.

"I know, but it might not feel like it."

In the dark, Dan looked over at Phil.

"I promise you, Phil. As you go back to work the next week it will feel a bit normal again. Because up until this weekend, it still felt normal. It just takes a bit of adjusting and we'll be alright."

"Will you be alright here by yourself?"

"Yeah. I can read and stuff. Also…" Dan paused. "You should show me how to log into your Netflix." He smiled and Phil chuckled.

"Can't get enough of that David Tenant?"

"Well, no, I can. Because I've never not been able to get enough of anything until I met you."

Phil sighed and said, "I love you, Dan."

Dan didn't reply, but leaned over and carefully pressed his lips to Phil's. His wolf heart pounded in his chest as Phil pulled him closer, gripping his shirt tightly.

Dan felt a hand at his hip as he shifted slightly and he soon found himself beneath Phil.

He broke the kiss and choked, "Phil."

Phil could feel Dan trembling as his knees were locked around his hips.

Panting, he looked down at Dan.

Within a few moments he found himself hovering above a wolf tangled up in Dan's pajamas. Dan's brown eyes blinked up at him.

"Shit," Phil said, despite his momentary astonishment at the transition. "I'm sorry."

 _Not your fault._

"Well, yeah. It kind of is. I could've stopped before I-."

 _I kissed you first._

"I know, but I didn't have to get so intense."

 _It doesn't really matter. These things happen._

"You're right."

 _Can you help me get out of these clothes, so I can put them back on properly in a minute?_

"Sure," Phil sat back onto his shins, sinking into the bed, and slipped Dan's pajama pants off of his wolf legs and then rabbit skinned the black t-shirt over his top half, ruffling his fur as he did so.

It occurred to Phil that he was, essentially, undressing Dan and he thought for a moment what that'd be like if Dan had never changed.

He blushed furiously.

 _Not having the most pure thoughts, are we, Phil?_

"Can you blame me?"

His brown eyes looked at Phil playfully as he shifted and sat up.

 _Not really._

"Do you want me to look away?"

 _Doesn't matter, but I will probably be extremely red-faced._

"Am I not as well?" Phil rebutted.

 _True._

In the dark, Dan changing was about the most fantastic thing he'd ever witnessed. He truly did glow, and while it was faint, he illuminated the room similar to the way a candle would.

"You're so beautiful," Phil whispered as they sat across from each other.

"Thanks," Dan said back in the same hushed tone.

Phil leaned in and gave him one last kiss for the night before Dan stood and redressed in his pajamas.

Phil lie back, and Dan got under the covers again.

Despite the embarrassment of what they both went through they gravitated back into each other's arms.

* * *

if anyone wants to check out my dan and phil themed tumblr - yesiwritefanfics . tumblr .com


	10. Chapter 10

Both Dan and Phil woke up to the sound of the alarm clock.

Phil took a deep breathe and reached over to shut off the alarm and then rolled back over to look at Dan.

"Good morning," he said to Phil.

"Morning."

Phil ran a hand over his face and rolled onto his back.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," he answered and slowly sat up. "I've got to start getting ready though. Sleep in as long as you like."

As Phil got up and dressed, Dan lie there, listening to the sound of his breath and cloth sliding over his skin.

"Oh, er," Phil began and Dan turned over to look at him as he stood by the doorway.

"I normally don't cook or eat before I go to work, you can make whatever you like. There's still some leftover steak from yesterday, too."

"Okay, thanks." Dan said.

"I'll be right back, hang on."

Phil went into the restroom where he splashed his face with water and brushed his teeth. Unfortunately because he had been distracted by Dan the night before, he had never showered, but didn't have quite enough time to do so this morning either, so while cringing, he made sure to put deodorant on.

He turned on Netflix for Dan as well, and then returned to his room where Dan was still lying.

"I set up Netflix for you," he said and he crawled onto his hands and knees onto the bed to quickly kiss Dan.

Dan reached up and put a hand at Phil's cheek before he leaned back and righted himself.

"I'll be back by about 3:15 probably," he told Dan.

"Okay."

"Okay."

From the bed, Dan could hear Phil moving out of the house, locking the door, and starting his car. As the sound of engine became much more distant and he could no longer hear it, he sighed deeply.

 _Adjust,_ he thought to himself.

He managed to doze off again and slept until the better part of the morning.

Dan had showered and dressed in some of the clothes he had brought to Phil's, ate some of the leftover steak for lunch, and watched a couple of episodes of Doctor Who as he waited for Phil during the day.

He hoped Phil was doing alright, because he felt like absolute rubbish.

When he finally heard the car pulling into the drive way his heart jumped in his chest and he could hardly contain his smile.

About a mile down the road, in the restaurant Phil worked at, things were very busy so he was thoroughly distracted from wondering how Dan was doing.

On busy days like this, you don't pay attention to the time, you don't pay attention to the ache in your own feet, or the thirst that is tiring out your body.

When one o'clock rolled around Phil found a bit of downtime and he took his break. He ate, drank, and sat down for a bit before getting back to work.

He was able to get his side work done as things were much slower in the restaurant and he was dying to get home, to get to Dan.

Around three he started wrapping things up and was finally able to leave.

He drove down the road and pulled in the driveway, quickly climbing out of the car and heading for the house as if the only thing keeping him alive was there and he were dying.

Phil found that Dan had unlocked the door and he hastily opened it and stepped inside.

He found Dan standing there in the foyer, a wide smile on his face. He trailed over to Dan and without a word, kissed him hard on the mouth.

Dan was quite responsive. He wrapped his arms around Phil and held fast. His hands travel the distance from the arch of Phil's back to his shoulders and back again, which left a buzzing in Phil's body.

Phil daringly nibbled on Dan's bottom lip, earning a gasp from him. He broke the kiss and looked at Phil with wide eyes.

"Too much?" Phil asked quietly.

"Too much, but not quite enough," Dan replied and he knew exactly what he meant. "Glad you're back."

"Me too."

Dan released Phil from his arms and returned to the couch. Phil stood by, tuning into Doctor Who for a few moments before going into his room to change.

When he reappeared and sat down next to Dan, he was in some lounge clothes.

"I've got dinner with my parents tonight." Phil mumbled, remembering. "I'll probably head that way at about 6 and be back by 7:30."

"I'll cook something up for you before I go, though. Or order a pizza if you'd like that."

"I'm not too worried about it," Dan replied. "I ate leftovers for lunch, by the way."

"That's good."

They grew a bit quiet and Dan leaned over to rest his head on Phil's thigh.

Phil smiled and let out a small laugh.

"You've gotten to season three," Phil realized as he watched with Dan.

He hummed in response.

A few moments later Dan said, "Is your phone ringing?"

Phil stood quickly and went into his room, getting his phone out of his work pants pocket.

Chris had sent him a couple texts. His phone was on it's vibrate setting.

He returned to the living room, clutching his phone.

"My phone is on vibrate," he said, holding the device up.

"Er, yeah, I thought I heard it buzzing."

"That's nuts, Dan."

"Well, yeah, it probably isn't normal."

"Can you literally hear, _everything?_ "

"Well, sort of. Mostly just things really nearby. Like say, when you're driving up to the house, I can tell about halfway from here and the restaurant. I've also learned to tune some stuff out."

"What's it like?" Phil lowered himself to the recliner.

"It's like… hearing the house creak at night, hearing your breath, hearing whispered sarcastic comebacks that someone so desperately wanted to say, but not get in trouble for," Dan began and Phil smiled at the last bit. "It's like, hearing twigs crack from outside and water dripping from your shower from the other room."

"My shower leaks?"

"I think it's the shower. Could be the pipes, or the sink."

Phil smiled. "That's really strange."

"Not really. You should get the leak fixed."

"No," he laughed. "I mean, you. With all your freaky senses and stuff."

"My freaky senses and stuff, huh?"

"Well put, right?"

"Oh yeah," Dan replied with heavy sarcasm.

Phil looked at the messages Chris sent him.

 _Theres someone I want you to meet_

 _His names PJ_

Phil wrote back, _Oh, it's a he, is it?_

To Dan he said, "It seems as if Chris has met his Companion."

"Really?" He replied as Phil's phone buzzed again.

 _Don't fucking tease me_

"I'm so excited," Dan said and he grinned in agreement.

Phil wrote to Chris, _I'm dying to meet him, but I've got dinner with my parents tonight._

He quickly sent another text, _What color are his eyes?_

 _Next Friday or something then and they're blue. Why?_ Phil could imagine Chris looking at him suspiciously and drawling out the question.

 _Curious is all,_ Phil wrote back.

He and Chris texted back and forth for a bit, but he soon got a call from his mother.

When he answered, she said, "You're coming to dinner, right?"

"Yes. I'll head over there at about six, alright?"

"Sounds good. See you later, son."

"Later," he agreed and he hung up his phone. He checked the time and thought he ought to get ready.

"I'm going to have a shower," he said to Dan, who looked over at him from his spot on the couch.

Dan said, "Okay," as Phil stood and began to prepare for his visit with his parents.

After Phil had showered and dressed in a button down and one of his nicer pair of jeans, he left his room and went into the bathroom where he dried and straightened his hair.

As he had lowered the blow dryer back down to the sink, he noticed Dan lingering by the doorway as he had pushed it open.

"Hi?" Phil said to Dan.

"Hi," he smiled.

"What's up?"

"Just sort of… curious."

"Hm, alright then."

Phil began to straighten his hair, lips pursed in concentration. Through the mirror Dan couldn't help but notice this.

As Phil pulling the flat iron over a lock of his hair, he glanced at Dan.

"You're adorable."

A wide grin spread across his face as he lowered the instrument for a moment.

"So are you," he rebutted when he continued to do his hair.

Phil had just about completed the straightening of his hair and he turned off the flat iron, setting it aside on the bathroom counter.

He turned towards Dan and asked, "Should I throw something together for you while I'm gone? Maybe order a pizza real quick? Otherwise there are some leftovers."

"I'm fine with leftovers," Dan said.

"Alright."

"I think you look really nice."

"Erm, thanks?" Phil let out a bit of a laugh.

He walked passed Dan, and into the living room. He looked at the time on the oven, and then had to glance at it again as he didn't properly process it the first time.

He had a few minutes still before he had to leave.

He was dreading it.

Well, he hadn't seen his parents for a while, so he was sure it would be pleasant. Dinner with his parents always had been, but… tonight, he would have preferred to remain at home with Dan.

He noticed Dan watching him with a peculiar look on his face.

Phil had never really moved from the spot where he stood, near the dining table.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I am. Sorry," he said.

Dan stepped forward and slipped his arms around Phil's waist.

He let out a great sigh.

They were sort of stood there for a few moments, and Phil began to get lost in his thoughts.

He thought back to when Dan had first kissed him.

"Hey Dan?"

"Hm."

"Was I the first person you had ever kissed?" Dan stepped back to look at Phil, without letting his arms leave his waist.

"Er, well I had given my mom a few pecks here and there before, but romantically, yeah."

"Well, you were kind of a really good kisser, despite it being your first proper kiss."

"Was I?" One of Dan's cheeks lifted in a smirk.

Phil's face grew a bit warm as he said quickly, "Er, yeah."

"You're kind of a really good kisser, too," Dan echoed him.

He reached up and put one of his hands at Phil's cheek, earning a hitched breath from him as he leaned in to press their lips together.

At the contact, Phil sucked in a breath, his lips parting and the kiss deepened quickly.

They held tightly to each other, clutching at each other's waists and forgetting what the meaning of personal space was.

Phil was beginning to really enjoy nibbling on Dan's lips.

As he sucked on his bottom lip, Dan gasped loudly and the kiss was broken.

"You're going to drive me crazy," he breathed as he looked at Phil with wild eyes.

"As if we weren't crazy already."

"Exactly." Dan smiled.

Phil glanced over his shoulder at the time. It was just after six.

"I should be going soon. Mom will be worried about me."

Dan released Phil from his tight grip so that he could gather up his wallet, shoes and jacket.

He quickly kissed Dan one last time and said, "I'll be back soon," before leaving the house, leaving Dan to Netflix and leftovers.

And this, they both sort of silently agreed, wasn't an unfair deal.


	11. Chapter 11

Phil took the short ten minute drive to his parent's house, sincerely hoping that they wouldn't attempt to have him stay later than usual.

His mother had cooked a roast and it was nearly ready when he arrived. The house smelt wonderful.

He chatted with them as they ate and his father asked, "Are you seeing anyone, Phil?"

Despite Phil being 27 years old he still reacted to the question as if he were seventeen and not a mature adult.

He laughed, blushed, and was grateful he didn't need to bring it up himself because while it was an awkward conversation, he wanted them to know that he had met someone.

"I sort of... I am." he conceded, and tried avoid discussing it much further by taking a large bite of his roast. Which was a mistake because he burnt his tongue.

"What's her name?" his mother asked, resting her elbows on the table and leaning forward.

"Well, actually I'm seeing a guy. His name is Dan," he spoke quickly.

"Dan?" she seemed confused for a moment, and Phil glanced at his father.

He looked away again just as quickly. He had never openly discussed it with his parents when he saw other guys.

"Yes," Phil confirmed insecurely as he reached for his glass of water.

"Is he handsome?"

Phil nearly choked on his water. "Huh?"

"Is he handsome?" his mother grinned as she repeated the question.

"Er… incredibly," he answered and a smile spread across his face.

"Will we get to meet him?"

"I hope so."

"I hope so too."

Phil saw his mother shooting a look at his father.

"Well, it seems like he makes you happy," his father decided to finally speak on the subject, but it surprised Phil that he would make such an observation.

"He does."

Phil's parents never did ask how he had met Dan, for which he was grateful. He didn't exactly know how to break it to them that Dan could shape shift.

"Oh yeah, when we make out he turns into a wolf. So yeah," Phil shook his head to himself, laughing as he drove home.

When he returned to the house he found Dan on the couch dozing through a movie. He smiled and Dan soon stirred, sensing someone nearby. He looked up at Phil

"How was dinner?" he asked, sitting up and running a hand over his face.

"It was good. I let them know I was seeing you." Phil sat on the edge of the couch.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. They took it well."

"That's good."

Phil hummed in agreement.

Dan yawned and he leaned over and let his head fall onto Phil's shoulder.

"You've been gone so much today," he said quietly.

"I know." Phil sighed. "Did you eat anything?"

"Leftovers."

Phil said, "good," but then he nudged Dan off of his shoulder.

He earned an angry scowl at that, but he had done that so he could lie across the couch.

"Come on," Phil said, inviting Dan to cuddle up with him, who acquiesced and lied down, letting his back press against Phil's chest.

Despite the couch not being quite long enough for either of their tall figures, they didn't want to move. Their legs tangled together as that familiar electric buzz filled them and surrounded them.

After they lie there like that. Phil shifted so that he could see the television and Dan could rest his head on his chest as they put a new movie on.

In Phil's pocket phone buzzed and as he expected, Chris had texted him

 _I'm_ _gonna_ _come harass you at work tomorrow is that cool_

Phil chuckled and wrote back to him, _no, but you're probably going to anyways_

A few moments later Chris replied jokingly, _I'm_ _so touched you know me so well_

In between texts he laid his phone on a bit of the space left next to him near the edge of the couch.

 _Yes well who else even knows you at all_

 _I'm shocked Phil_

 _I can have that affect sometimes_

They texted back and forth for a bit but he soon returned all of his attention to the movie.

Later that night when the movie ended, Dan and Phil sleepily migrated to Phil's bed.

The next morning Phil's alarm went off and he quickly shut it off as opposed to hitting snooze. He sat up and looked around at Dan, who was looking over at him with bleary eyes.

"Go back to sleep," he whispered to him.

Dan shut his eyes and grunted in response, which earned a chuckle from Phil.

As he dressed, Phil remembered that Chris had said he'd be around to bug him at work today. Amongst a lot of the unfamiliar faces he saw as he worked throughout the day, it would be nice to see Chris'. Especially because he didn't see him that often.

It wasn't a significantly busy day, so time crawled by much slower than usual.

During his down time he thought about his old, ordinary home.

It really was a shame he didn't have a fireplace like Dan grew up with. He hoped that it was a comfortable place for him.

Maybe he could make it seem a bit more like Dan's original home and as the day grew older he thought of a few ideas.

"Phil, you've got two in a booth," his coworker, Louise told him.

"Thanks," he said and he had forgotten until he went out to greet his guests that Chris had intended to visit him at work.

"Hey, Chris," Phil smiled at his friend and he noticed that a dark haired, slim bodied man took up the space across from Chris.

"And this is?"

"Call me PJ," he said, smiling at Phil, a significant look in his cool blue eyes.

"Alright, PJ. What can I get you two to drink today?" he smiled back at PJ.

As they stayed for lunch, Phil got a chance to learn just a bit more about PJ.

He didn't think Chris was aware just yet about the nature of his and Dan's relationship but he and PJ seemed to communicate on another level similar to the their own. Perhaps, Chris was fully aware of what PJ could do.

Whether or not he was, Phil could see the chemistry between them.

He noticed they way one would stretch their long legs between the other's. He noticed the way they held eye-contact, the way they laughed.

God damn, is that what he and Dan always looked like? He shook his head and laughed quietly to himself as he put their order into the computer system. He ignored the funny looks he earned from that.

He wondered if PJ could see it in himself that he had Dan. If Dan could have seen it in Chris, could PJ see it in him?

Probably.

As they paid at the register Phil saw them off, telling Chris to text or call him later.

When Phil had completed all of his work for the day, he walked out to his car and although he was dying to go straight home, he headed instead to the discount store.

Inside the large, cluttered store he looked down the isle of candles and decorative house figurines, hoping to find an oil lamp or two. Unfortunately, he couldn't, but settled on a set of small tea lights.

He'd perhaps go out and find some on another day.

As he went down the candy isle, he pondered over getting himself and Dan a sweet and picked out some chocolate.

He realized on his way out, that the things he picked out would be more likely to be bought by a woman on her period.

 _Meh._

When he arrived back at home, he rushed into the house, but then quieted down as he noticed Dan was napping on the couch. And he was out cold, snoring softly.

So while he was asleep, Phil put a couple of the tea light candles on the dining table and at the top of his entertainment center.

"Are you trying to be romantic?" Dan's voice suddenly sounded from down on the couch.

Phil whirled about. "What? No," he stammered a bit.

"Uh-huh."

"Honest! I just wanted to make it look a bit nice in here. I wanted to make it more comfortable for you. Make it more familiar, so you felt more at home."

"Phil, my home is with you."

Phil wasn't sure how to respond, but then he said, "Well, who's the romantic one now?"

"Phil," Dan said, shooting a no-nonsense look at Phil, but also tried to suppress a smile.

"I know. I just felt like this place is so ordinary. And where you lived was kind of… magical. You know?"

"It was just the energy that had been there for so long."

"Yes, but…."

"But, I imagine it will look very lovely when you go to light them," Dan assured him.

"I tried to find oil lamps, which would have been really nice, but thanks."

Dan hummed back at him.

Phil went into his room for a few minutes and when he returned to sit with Dan he had changed into some lounge pants.

"You'll never guess who I met today."

"Oh my god, who was it?" Dan's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Chris and what looks like his new his friend PJ, you jackass."

"Whoa, getting a little hostile, Phil."

"Shut up," he gently shoved Dan in the arm.

"This free spirit can't be contained," he quipped back, earning a chuckle from Phil.

"Cheesy," he remarked.

"For real, though, how'd it go?"

"Well. He's really handsome and sweet. They are definitely made for each other."

"That's good."

Phil hummed in agreement and he swung his legs around to settle behind Dan, who looked down at Phil and then lowered himself to be his little spoon.

"Hey, Phil?" Dan asked quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever been with anyone, you know, in that way?"

"Erm," Phil hesitated, "Yeah, I have"

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?"

"I just sort of had a feeling that you're experienced."

Phil chuckled a bit then and Dan could feel the clench of his diaphragm, "I'm not experienced."

He turned to look at Phil, settling on his back and pushing his hair out of his face as his eyebrows creased.

"I have experiences… but I doubt I'd say that I'm experienced." Phil let his arm rest across Dan's belly.

"You and your girlfriend lived together, though, right?"

"Well, yeah, and we did the thing sometimes, but…"

"The thing?" Dan shot a look at Phil's eloquent word choice.

"I'm just so sophisticated in the way I talk, I know," he replied with quick sarcasm but continued. "But… after a while, we kind of became more distanced. Maybe she was bored, and maybe I was too, but… it didn't mean much when we did the thing. It wasn't much of a meaningful experience. Just, I dunno… It doesn't really matter though, you know? It was… in the past, and this is entirely new. I've never experienced what we've got, so I'd say that I'm as experienced as you are."

"Fair enough," Dan said decidedly and he let out a bit of a grin which was mirrored by Phil.

Phil reached across him and onto the floor where the Xbox remote lay abandoned.

"What should we watch?"

"I dunno. I think I missed an episode of Doctor Who earlier when I dozed off. But… oh well," a small laughed escaped him.

Phil decided in the end to put on an anime that he thought they'd enjoy watching together.

The two men settled and focused their attention on the television, but Phil soon nudged Dan to make him move and he stood up.

He brought out some steak to thaw for dinner that night and decided on some canned vegetables that he would get out later.

When he returned to the couch, he settled back into the cushions and against the arm of the couch and Dan, desperate to be close to Phil, leaned over and cuddled up to him.

"You're seriously way too adorable to handle."

Dan looked up and chuckled at Phil.

That night after they had eaten dinner and Phil was putting a movie on to watch, he decided to light the candles he had bought.

He went and collected the matches and returned to the living room.

"Are you going to light the candles?" Dan asked him, looking up from his spot on the couch.

"Yeah, why not," Phil tried to remain nonchalant, sliding the box open and grabbed a match.

He struck the match carefully along the side of the box and lit the two little tea lights on the entertainment center.

He looked at the two little trembling flames with a satisfied smile and then went to shut the lights out.

When he returned to the couch, he sat down for a few moments and then jumped up again.

"Have you ever had maltesers?" Phil asked Dan as he went into the kitchen.

"No," Dan looked over the back of couch, to where Phil collected the bag from the discount store that he had left in the kitchen.

"You've got to try them, oh my god." Phil grinned widely as he brought the plastic bag back to the living room and returned to sit down.

He brought out a bag that read Maltesers on one side and he tore the bag open.

Instantly Dan could smell sweet milk chocolate wafting over to him. He glanced up at Phil, a twinkle in his eye. Phil offered the bag to him after he had taken a few bits of chocolate for himself.

"These are fantastic," he said after he had tried one and throughout the first ten minutes of the movie they finished the bag off.

"These were meant to last, at least, an hour," Phil had remarked sarcastically, earning a laugh from Dan.

As his laughter died he leaned over and rested his head on Phil's thigh. He smiled up at Phil, who grinned back at him and ran his fingers through Dan's hair.

Their movie ended and the credits began to roll.

"Phil." Dan sat up groggily.

"Hm?"

"I know your intention wasn't to be romantic, but the candles feel really romantic right now."

Phil let out a little chuckle. "Yeah," he cringed slightly. "Are you ready for bed?"

"Sure."

Phil stood and shut off the Xbox and television then went into his bedroom with Dan following. They both changed and for a moment Phil considered lighting the candles he had placed in here, but decided against it and crawled into the bed next to Dan.

* * *

so i set up a dan and phil themed tumblr - yesiwritefanfics . tumblr .com if anyone wants to check that out i have no followers there yet so itd be rlly awesome if anyone reading would check it out


	12. Chapter 12

The following weekend rolled around and when Phil woke up on Saturday he went to use the restroom.

As he washed his hands he glanced up into the mirror.

The roots of his hair were turning red again.

When he returned to the bedroom to get dressed he found Dan lying awake, looking up at the ceiling.

"Wanna get your hair cut today?" He asked Dan with a slight smile.

"Yeah, sure. Uhm, Phil?"

"Yeah?"

"I've got my social security card and stuff. I just never used it, you know."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I can go and get it, as well as some money for my hair."

"Yeah, that'd be cool."

Phil turned back to his chest of drawers and pulled out a sweater and some jeans to wear. He could hear the sound of Dan undressing and he glanced back just in time to see him shift into the wolf.

"That's still so incredible, you know?"

Dan had a look in his eye for a moment.

 _You're still so incredible._

Phil scoffed.

 _I'm going to get everything I need like this._

"What about clothes and stuff for on the way back? You can't just carry a bunch of money and stuff in your mouth." Phil laughed.

 _There's still some clothes there. It'll be faster this way._

"Okay. I'll cook breakfast for us then and we can eat when you get back? And then we'll go out?"

 _Sounds good._

Phil turned back toward his chest of drawers, finding socks to wear for the day.

 _Phil, I'm not quite as evolved as you are at the moment._

He turned around, grinned widely and crossed the room to open the bedroom door. Dan slipped out smoothly and trotted over to the front door, which Phil opened as well.

Dan stopped on the porch, turning his long snout to look back at Phil.

 _I'll be back._

Phil just looked on as Dan gazed at him for a moment, and then he turned to trot down the steps.

Once on the road, he darted off, almost quicker than Phil's eyes could follow.

"Incredible," he whispered to himself.

Dan was such a beautiful creature.

Phil watched until he couldn't see the wolf anymore, and then he stepped back underneath the threshold to the house. He returned to his room and changed into some day clothes. He had showered the night before, as did Dan, so his hair was a bit curly, but he was going to be getting it done anyway, so he didn't fuss with it.

He went into the kitchen, his feet padding softly, yet somehow deafeningly loud in the quiet house.

Normally Dan was there, and making some sort of sarcastic remark, talking to himself, making noise in some part of the house, or at the very least, breathing and shifting as he read, on the floor beside the couch.

He began to cook up sausage and refried the baked potatoes from the night before in the sausage oil.

* * *

Dan flew threw the trees on his four paws, jumping over logs, climbing the uneven terrain, and flitting through foliage.

He'd forgotten how exhilarating this was.

He'd arrived at his cottage too soon. He let the warm murmur of that quintessential energy run through his blood and he was soon stood on two feet. He stepped inside quickly. A shiver ran through his body the instant he stepped under the threshold.

He wasn't cold.

He looked around the main area to his old home and the hair on the back of his neck rose. He carefully navigated around the room, his eyes scanned every detail.

Dust covered the surfaces, and anything normally left untouched when he was here. Half melted candles could be found in a few spots. The cupboard doors were slanted, falling off of their hinges. One of the cupboards was missing its old ornate handle. There was left over kindling in a bucket, a few pieces of firewood in a tray. Sand filled the fireplace. The quilt blanket was on the recliner, where Phil had left it.

Hell, Dan could still smell Phil from where had once been sat there for a few hours, dozing.

He stepped underneath the archway to the second part of the house.

The bed was unmade. Books lined the expansive bookcase with no order or pattern and a few were unevenly placed around one of the end tables beside the old bed. His chest of drawers was full of some neatly folded clothes.

He crouched and reached under the bed. His hands found cold, rigid metal and he searched for the edging of the safe. He dragged it out from under the bed and he rocked back onto his shins, settling, as he worked the dial on the safe.

His money, as well as his social security card and birth certificate from when he was born was still in the safe.

Dan didn't find anything out of place. It was just as he'd remembered it was left.

 _But it just didn't feel right._

A chill ran through him when he thought about how he'd just abandoned the house, about how it had never even occurred to him to come back to check up on things. He stood, absentmindedly running a hand down one of his bare arms.

He felt a pressure at his back, and instinctively he whirled about, expecting something to be poised for attack.

There was absolutely nothing there.

With bated breath, he stopped and used the full capacity of his hearing to listen for anything in or around the house.

He heard the normal morning noises of the woodland creatures. He listened to the birds tweeting or the scratching of a squirrel's claws as he scampered up a tree.

Nothing was wrong.

But it felt so wrong.

He had to get out of there. Now.

He went to his old chest of drawers. He grabbed the first sweater and trousers he could find, as well as underpants and socks.

He dressed as quickly as possible. He slipped on a pair of boots he hadn't worn in years.

He knelt once again beside the safe, and grabbed the envelope of cash, and the second envelope which contained his social security card, birth certificate, and his father's will.

He slipped them into the deep pockets of the trousers he had found.

He shut the safe, double checked that it locked, and slid it back under the bed.

He stood and turned towards the archway, heading for the exit. But he stopped in his tracks as his eyes zeroed in on an oil lamp that had once sat on an end table and he sucked in a breath.

The lamp had been knocked over. The glass was broken and the spilt oil had dripped onto the rug beneath the table.

He returned to Phil's home as quickly as he could. He hadn't realized that he could move as swiftly as he did on two feet with ten toes inside restricting old boots and loose trousers. He was more familiar with the terrain when he was on his calloused paws.

He could smell food, and hear Phil moving about, the scraping of a spatula against a pan.

He practically sprinted the last stretch of road up to Phil's door. He rushed into the house, shut it securely behind him. He paused in the foyer and caught his breath.

Alarming Phil was the last thing he'd wanted to do.

They were meant to have a nice time out today.

"Dan?"

"Yeah," he grimaced at the edge in his own voice.

Phil came round to the foyer and looked at Dan, concern knitting his eyebrows.

"Everything okay?"

"Of course," he lied. "I've got my paperwork and everything."

Phil surveyed Dan's body, taking in the rapid rise and fall of Dan's chest, his windswept hair, reddening cheeks and parted lips. He completely ignored the awkwardly fitting trousers.

"Er, that's good." Phil supposed that maybe Dan was in a hurry to return. He'd made it back much sooner than he had expected anyways.

But there was a look in his eye that he hadn't seen. Not since they'd been out in the woods, when Dan was being especially vigilant, and he realized then that it was for Phil's safety.

Something was wrong and it chilled Phil to the bone.

"Are you sure that everything is okay?"

"Yes, of course." He tried to smile warmly and he sniffed the air dramatically, eyes shut. "What did you make?"

"Oh, potatoes and sausage."

"It smells delicious."

"Well, let's have some then." Phil turned away and went back into the kitchen, trying to shake the cold feeling in his stomach.

Dan slipped the too-tight boots off of his feet and adjusted his trousers. He followed Phil into the kitchen and saw that he was reaching into the cupboard for plates.

He approached him from behind, and he was holding Phil.

Phil puts his arms over Dan's.

"Everything is okay, I promise."

He sighed. "I believe you."

Guilt made Dan feel sick to his stomach.

If Phil found out that Dan had deceived him, he would hate him.

Regret settled in his chest and he heaved a sigh of his own.

"Let's eat, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm hungry."

But Dan had lost his appetite a long time ago.

For Phil's sake he emptied his plate, and feigned eagerness as he ate.

When Dan was done with his food, Phil cleared their mess.

"We'll go in just a bit." Phil told him.

"Oh, okay I'm gonna change into clothes that fit properly then," Dan grinned as he stood.

Phil didn't say anything more, but continued to clear up the kitchen, so he turned and headed towards the bedroom.

Phil's stomach was in knots, and his breathing felt restricted.

In the bedroom Dan sunk onto the bed and rested his head in his hands for a moment.

He needed to think.

Phil's house probably shouldn't be left unwatched. But Dan couldn't suddenly change his mind about going out with him.

Phil would definitely pick up on what was going on, if he did that.

Perhaps, he could try and act a bit rushed. Although, how much could you rush someone cutting your hair without ending up with a bad cut?

On the other hand, it would become painfully apparent that they were in danger if they took their time and returned home to find that the house had been ransacked.

There was really nothing else he could do, but go with Phil, and sit through the anxiety.

After all, how long would it actually take to get their hair cut?

* * *

"Well, I've never had a proper hair cut before, so whatever you think might look alright, just do that. You're the professional."

Dan ran a hand over his chin, glad that he had taken a bit of time to shave before they left the house.

Phil was in another chair, with dye in his hair. He had to wait for a bit, before the lady who did his hair could rinse it out. In the meantime, the dark haired lady began to work on Dan's hair.

She brought him over to another chair where she washed and rinsed his hair out, and then they returned to the other chair.

Dan asked to face away from the mirror, but watched in vague horror as inches of his hair fell to the tiled floor.

"Wow, I had more hair than I thought I did."

The lady, Karen, laughed at him as she dexterously brought the scissors with the weird handle to his hair over and over.

After she had cut Dan's hair, she rinsed out Phil's and he returned to linger by Dan while his hair was dried and straightened.

"Right, I'm done. You want to take a look?"

"Is it bad?"

"It looks perfect, Dan." Phil reassured him.

"It does?"

"Yes, you look really nice. C'mon," He urged Dan.

"Okay…"

Karen turned Dan around in his chair and his jaw fell open slightly.

"No way!" He laughed, leaning forward. "I look so different. That's incredible."

Dan messed with the fringe that fell across his forehead and patted the rest of his head. He mussed it up a bit, sort of shaking it out and then ran a finger to straighten it out across his forehead.

"You like it, yeah?"

"Yeah," he ran his hands through it again, ruffling it and then readjusting the fringe.

"Thanks," he smiled widely at Karen.

"Sure," she chuckled.

Karen gave them the price for their separate cuts and they went to the front of the salon.

"It really does look good," Phil said as they lingered at the front desk with their cash, waiting for Karen. "You look really handsome."

"Thanks."

"I mean, not that you weren't already handsome."

"I get it," Dan chuckled.

They left the salon after paying Karen and climbed back into Phil's car. Dan was anxious to return to the house to make sure that everything was okay.

"Do you need new clothes or anything like that?" Phil asked as he started the car.

"Er…" Dan hesitated. "I mean, what I've got now is all that I need."

"You don't want to get anything new?"

"Not today," he feigned reluctance at admitting that he just wanted to go home.

On the inside he was urging Phil to just drive already.

"Alright. We'll head back, then."

It was still early that Saturday when Phil decided to put on some video games for the two of them to play.

When they had finally arrived home again after getting their hair done, Dan didn't sense any sort of disturbance, see anything out of place, or detect any foreign smells and he was immensely relieved by that.

He supposed that maybe he had been making a mountain out of a molehill when he'd saw the broken oil lamp.

Maybe a curious hiker had found the old house, maybe Dan was paranoid.

But his instincts kept him constantly alert from that morning on.

Dan had shown Phil his social security card and other paperwork when they'd gotten back from the salon and he put them away, in a box, in his bedroom closet.

"Hey," Phil said in between races on their video game.

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to get your GED at all, like go to school or maybe work?"

"Er, I don't know. I'd never really had the opportunity to do all that stuff, you know."

"Well, at the very least, you should get your GED, in order to be able to work."

Dan looked away from the television, and at Phil.

"Oh, I see how it is." Dan smirked playfully. "You want money."

"What?!" Phil smiled, but his eyes were a bit wide. "I just thought you might get bored, you know. There must be something you're interested in doing."

"Well, to be honest… I think it'd be kind of cool to be an actor." Dan admitted with a slight smile, but frowned at his next words. "But I doubt that's likely."

"Hey, you never know. If you went to school you could take a few drama classes, join the drama club. If anything you'd be able to do it for fun, while working on something else, even if it's just general studies. You might find some classes that are interesting. And if you take class you're interested in, you're more likely to pass."

"Erm, it _sounds_ like a good idea." Dan wasn't eager to admit that it made him incredibly nervous to think about doing everything that Phil was talking about.

"What do you mean 'sounds'?"

"Well, I'm kind of nervous talking about it."

"Well, don't stress about it much. We'll just maybe get your ID for starters. How does that sound?"

"Yeah, that's alright. Thanks, Phil."

They played a couple more races, and Phil wondered.

How would Dan and PJ interact, both of them being companions?

"I want to invite Chris and PJ over. We can order pizza later, and play some more video games and stuff. Is that cool?"

"Yeah. I want to find out what PJ is like," Dan agreed eagerly, grinning.

"I'll give him a call, then. Hang on."

Phil stood and went to get his phone from his room and dialed Chris' number as he returned to the couch.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Chris," Phil greeted him.

"Oh, Phil. Hang on. I need to put my pants back on."

"What?" Phil hoped he was joking.

"Don't worry. What's up?"

"Not much. I'm thinking about getting some pizza and stuff later, why don't you and PJ come over?"

"Pizza sounds awesome. Er, hang on a moment." Chris's voice became a bit distant. "Hey, PJ, do you wanna go see Phil and Dan today?"

Once again with his voice coming through clearly, he said, "He says yeah. We'll be over in… around an hour?"

"Okay, see you then."

"Okay, see you." And as if the phone was held away from his mouth again, he said, "Alright, PJ we better do this quickly…"

"Chris?"

Chris had already hung up at that point and Phil hung up, shaking his head at his friend's suggestive remarks.

"They're coming over?"

Phil hummed, a slight smile lingering on his face. "I'm kind of excited for you to meet PJ."

"Me too."


	13. Chapter 13

just a little warning: NSFW content in this chapter lol

* * *

Phil did some tidying and even though he had told Dan it wasn't necessary, he got up to help.

He had managed to convince himself that everything was okay. For now, at least.

"Hey, you know what?"

"Hmm?"

"I'll put some music on for a bit."

Phil crossed back over to the front of the entertainment center, and opened one of the cabinets, revealing a collection of CDs.

He considered for a moment, picked one out, and put it into the Xbox.

Soon, music spilled from the television and into the house. Phil looked up at Dan, who was grinning.

"It's Muse," Phil told him.

"I like it," he said.

"Yeah, they're brilliant."

They began to clean, and Dan would occasionally ask where something belonged, talking over the music. Phil put the scattered tea light candles into a kitchen drawer. He knew Chris would tease him relentlessly as if he had them out that night to be romantic.

 _Far away_

 _This ship has taken me far away_

Phil was cleaning the kitchen while Dan sorted out the gaming system.

He glanced over at Phil, considering, and then walked over to the kitchen.

"Dan," he sensed Dan behind him before he slipped his arms around his waist.

Dan put his arms over Phil's and turned him about, grabbing his hands and lacing their fingers together.

Phil looked at him, suppressing an awkward smile. He asked slowly, "What are you doing?"

Dan began to sway with a slight bounce, grinning at Phil.

"Dan, this isn't the right song to dance to."

"You can dance to anything, c'mon."

"This is really silly." Phil began to sway as well, but couldn't wipe the goofy grin off of his face.

"Everything is." Dan smiled back, released one of his hands and put the other at Phil's waist, increasing their movements and pulling them closer together. It was bordering on sensual, the way they were pressed together, but it was simultaneously incredibly cute and childish. Phil's hands rested on Dan's shoulders.

"You're so cheesy," he muttered, but allowed Dan to continue to move his body.

Dan leaned in and said close to ear, "You love it."

"Not particularly. But I love you."

They had stopped moving at this point and Dan pressed a kiss to Phil's cheek.

"I should finish the kitchen," Phil said quietly, his mind slowly becoming foggy.

In his mind, it felt almost like a television picking up static was on mute.

With his index finger, Dan tipped Phil's head back.

"Dan," he complained.

"Kitchen can wait," a hand cupped Phil's neck, thumb stroking the curve of his jaw.

He could hardly breathe. Dan was close. Too close. His hot blood surged through him and the sensation was wild.

Dan gazed at Phil so heavily he swore he could feel it. He shut his eyes so he didn't have to feel the weight of his gaze, but then he felt the weight of Dan's lips on his own.

A small noise escaped the back of his throat, because damn if feeling Dan's lips and body pressed against his wasn't driving him crazy.

Phil pulled back, taking a deep breath. He was sure he was about to pass out, but he could hardly refill his lungs before Dan's mouth was on his again, pressing hard, and moving demandingly.

He realized he was pressed against the counter. He slipped his hands into Dan's hair at the back of his neck, tugging lightly, trying to take back some control of the kiss.

Not that he ever had control.

He tore his mouth away from Dan's, still tugging lightly at his hair, making Dan tilt his head back. But Phil let his lips trail from Dan's, to his jaw, and to his neck where he began to suck and nip.

"Phil, holy shit." Dan panted, a hand gripping Phil's shirt tightly, almost as if he needed to keep himself grounded.

He found his weakness.

He smiled through his love bites, earning soft noises from Dan. He found a certain spot which elicited a louder noise from Dan as he began to suck more earnestly.

"Phil!" The tone of his voice alarmed Phil and he pulled back instantly.

He realized that vibrations were running through Dan's body, his eyes shut and his lips parted as he breathed heavily.

"Are you okay?"

Dan gulped and tilted his head back down to look at Phil. Phil could have sworn that there was a light in Dan's eyes that wasn't there before.

He nodded to Phil, and blinked. The glow in his warm brown eyes was gone.

"You almost made me lose my shit, Phil." He still held onto him securely.

He chuckled in response, putting a hand over his mouth, while the other moved from the back of Dan's neck to his shoulder.

"Phil," Dan nearly whined, grimacing, but he began to loosen his grip on Phil.

"Sorry," he said quietly, trying to reign in his giggles as he adjusted his glasses that had nearly gone askew a few moments before. "You were asking for it, though."

Dan grinned then, and said, "I kind of was, wasn't I?"

Phil gave Dan an innocent peck. "Let's finish tidying things, okay?"

Dan hummed, and released Phil completely, returning to the living room to sort out all of the games.

The both of them honestly knew that the entire living room would be a clutter again in a few hours, but didn't voice it.

"They're gonna be here soon," Phil said as he leaned over the couch, now done with the kitchen. The CD that was playing had ended.

Dan stacked the last few game cases, and looked up at Phil.

"Cool," he said to him.

Dan watched his expression carefully from where knelt on the floor.

Everything was okay, he reminded himself with a deep breath. He had to remind himself, in order to keep his own nerves settled, because being companions; they were incredibly sensitive to each other.

He smiled at Phil, who grinned back.

Dan averted his eyes, as he recognized the sound of Chris' car engine and the turn of the tires.

"Speak of the devil," he chuckled, and he nodded towards the door.

He could hear Chris pulling into the driveway.

Phil righted himself, and approached the foyer to pull the heavy door open. Dan stood and followed, lingering on the porch with Phil.

Sure enough, Chris and another man were climbing out of his car.

"Hey, guys," Phil waved cheerfully.

Dan's eyes rested on the curly haired companion of Chris'. This must have been PJ.

PJ sensed Dan's scrutiny and looked up, eyebrows furrowed. They locked eyes, Dan's wolf brown met PJ's coyote blue eyes.

PJ continued following Chris up to the porch, hardly paying any attention as Chris was greeted by Phil.

Dan watched him steadily, knowing, and PJ looked back in confusion.

Dan stood tall, looking down at PJ carefully. He could see passed the two-legged form. PJ knew that if Dan had been on his four paws, his hair would have stood on end, his legs strong and rigid and head hung low, protecting his mate.

Rightfully so, PJ thought. It was his and Phil's territory, after all.

He slipped his hands into his pockets, dropping his gaze and then glanced back up to Phil.

He never noticed before, but Phil definitely had the vibrancy of someone who'd met their companion.

Phil must know that Dan was his companion, PJ thought. He could see in the way that he glanced over to the two of them, eyes flicking between them with slight alarm.

And if Chris knew he would have said something, right? No, he most likely doesn't know.

Phil must then also know what PJ was, having met his own companion already.

He looked at Phil, searching his eyes as he stood on the porch. He smiled infectiously at PJ, and he grinned back.

However, he looked at Dan with hesitance, smile faltering.

Dan let a soft smile pull at one side of his mouth as his eyes grew warm, and PJ picked up on the nearly imperceptible nod.

Chris was completely oblivious as he complimented Dan's hair cut and stepped inside with a pat on the back from Phil.

Phil let PJ step inside as well and then turned to follow.

Dan quickly scanned the road and the clearing of tall grass across the way, found nothing out of the ordinary, and then quickly trailed after the other three men into the house after shutting the door securely.

"Dan, is that a hickey?" Chris suddenly asked loudly as the four of them sat in various places in Phil's living room.

"What?" Dan blanched.

"A hickey, right there. Below your ear?"

"Er, well… I mean…," He rubbed the back of his neck, and ran a finger over the spot Phil had sucked on so earnestly earlier that day. Heat flooded his neck and cheeks.

Chris let out a great laugh. "Well, we know whose been having hot make-out sessions."

PJ grinned slyly, looking between Dan and Phil.

"Chris," Phil sighed, shaking his head. "You have no tact whatsoever." He stood from the floor where he had been setting up his Xbox and putting a game in to play.

"Besides," he added with a smirk. "You're probably jealous that Dan's getting a bit of action and you're not."

Both PJ and Chris were shocked by Phil's words. Chris nearly choked on his saliva and Dan howled with belly-rolling laughter.

"Does Chris know?" Dan asked as he approached PJ who was collecting paper plates out of the cupboard.

He was meant to be collecting sodas for everyone as well, but curiosity was getting the better of him.

PJ whirled about, wide-eyed, and he surveyed Dan's expression. Dan only smiled understandingly at him, and PJ visibly relaxed.

"About?" PJ tried to get more information out of him.

Dan had the advantage in height here, so it would seem as if he had the power, but it had shifted at this point, and settled just between them.

What Dan felt was much different than what he had experienced when he had gone back to his old home. PJ was safe. He had a warm, humble energy. If anything, Dan had given off of the foreboding sense that day.

"You're the coyote," Dan smirked, tipping his head down.

"So Chris told you and Phil about that, did he?"

Dan hummed. "He did. But I doubt that Chris knows exactly what I am to Phil. Unless he's caught on by now."

"I'm not sure he has," PJ peered over at Chris. "But he knows what I am. He'll catch on soon enough."

"I can see the wolf in your eyes," PJ remarked as his gaze returned to Dan.

"Then you have excellent sight," Dan quipped as he turned away to get the cans of soda out of the fridge, holding two in each hand

As fellow companions, PJ and Dan were incredibly sensitive to each other, nearly as well as one was with a mate. So naturally, he could feel the waves of anxiety radiating off of Dan.

He lowered his voice even further and asked, "I'm not quite as oblivious as Chris. Is something up?"

When Dan began to speak he restlessly shifted the cans in his hands. "That's actually why I want to apologize. And explain why I probably seemed a bit standoffish and unfriendly earlier."

PJ just raised his eyebrows in expectation, waiting for Dan to continue.

"There's this small little house deep in the woods where I lived. And recently I had gone back for a few things. Someone had been there, and nothing felt right. Phil knew immediately that something was up, so I've had to keep the anxiety at bay. I could be wrong, and that whoever or whatever was there was completely innocent, _but it just didn't feel right."_

PJ hummed in understanding. "I'll stay on alert then, mate."

"Okay, but don't let it on to those two." Dan nodded over to the couch where Chris and Phil were so engrossed in their Mario Kart race it was almost as if PJ and Dan were in another world for a few moments.

"No, I was about to win!" Chris exclaimed in disappointment. "Why'd you go and throw that red shell?"

Phil chuckled lowly. "It's what you get for that damn blue shell."

"You're an ass."

"Whatever, I'm hungry."

Chris and Phil looked over the back of the couch, sensing that they were being watched.

"Oi! You've got those plates or what?" Chris said with a smile.

Dan grinned and chuckled, taking their sodas to the table and PJ followed.

Two pizzas were stacked on the table, having arrived just a few minutes before. Phil and Chris had been in the middle of a race so Dan took the pizzas and gave their delivery man the cash.

"Come and get them," PJ bantered, earning a raised brow from Chris as he and Phil stood from the couch.

"Yeah, with those sodas there's no way we're sitting on the couch. I don't want to risk a spill." Phil reasoned.

Dan watched it grow dark as they ate. In the span of twenty minutes the light burned down and the sky blackened.

It had been a gloomy, grey day, and not too surprisingly, it began to rain as they ate.

Dan had always loved it when it rained. He listened as the water pounded Phil's roof harder and it wasn't long before lightning flashed and thunder rolled.

His eyes lit up, Phil noticed.

When Dan had emptied his plate and cleared his place of his mess, he went into Phil's room, leaving the door ajar and gazed out the bedroom window in wonder.

He was so entranced for a few moments that he hadn't realized Phil had approached him from behind, until he picked up the sound of his soft breathing close to him and put a hand at his back.

"Hey," Phil said quietly.

Another flash of lightning struck and the thunder that followed was immediate and shockingly loud.

"It's brilliant," Dan said, mouth half-open, eyes lit up like a child.

"You're something else," Phil told him, but he agreed. Nature always was so impressive and majestic.

"C'mon?" It sounded a bit more like a question, as he took Dan's hand.

Dan let Phil tug him along back to the living room where he joined a few more races of Mario Kart.

The night grew older and impossibly darker.

The rain had let up a bit and around nine o'clock, Chris and PJ decided to be on their way.

Dan and Phil walked them both to the door.

"Have a nice night," Phil waved cheerfully.

"And stay safe, guys," Dan smiled, but he met PJ's eye and he nodded back in understanding.

They climbed into Chris' car and as they began to pull out of the driveway Phil shut the door, and with a not too surprised smile he said, "Well, we should clean everything up. It'd be a bad idea to put it off."

"You work in the morning, don't you?"

Phil hummed in confirmation as he tidied things up real quickly. The living room really was in a clutter, but at least there hadn't been any spills or pizza with carpet lint.

"Yes, I do."

Dan helped tidy things up and threw out some trash from the dining table and put away the leftover pizza.

With everything cleared up they began to settle for the night. Phil took a shower and changed while Dan watched an episode of Doctor Who. The younger of the two showered as well, and when he had changed he joined Phil amongst the pillows and blankets.

"Phil?" Dan said quietly, turning his head to look at him. He wasn't quite sleepy yet and it was still a bit early.

"Hm?" Phil asked, blue eyes shining in the darkness.

"I… Can I try something?"

"Erm, what do you mean?" Hesitance filled his voice.

"I want to… I mean… is there something I can do… to make you feel good?"

"Dan?" Phil was taken aback.

"Oh god, I'm sorry. Forget I said it." Dan turned away, rolling onto his own side, and facing away from those too-kind, multi-colored eyes.

"Dan," Phil reached out and scooted up close to Dan, wrapping an arm around his waist. Not expecting the touch, he flinched, but quickly settled.

"You don't have to do anything like that. I feel good just by being around you."

"I do too. But...," Dan rolled over to look at Phil, despite the blush that warmed his cheeks. "There's something about us, companions, I mean, that makes us want to be sort of a pleasure giver for their mate… I mean, obviously in conventional relationships people want to make each other feel good, but most of the time one of them ends up unsatisfied. Or am I wrong about that and have learned wrong from my family?"

"No, that's pretty accurate I'd say. I just… don't want you to do anything you're uncomfortable with." Phil's voice lowered as he added, "I really want to be able to make _you_ feel good, without you losing your shit."

Dan chuckled, but his face grew even warmer. "Er, sorry about that."

Phil shifted a bit closer and with a soft chuckle, he said, "Don't worry about it."

He pressed a kiss to Dan's hot face, and smiled.

"I, er, I've getting better about controlling myself when we've made out though." Dan blurted and his face went up in flames.

"Oh god," he turned away from Phil, whose grip tightened around his waist. "I really need to mind my tongue better though, apparently."

Phil laughed, the sound filling Dan's ears like music.

"What are you suggesting, Dan?" The feeling of his breathe on his neck, the sound of Phil's deep voice was suddenly causing Dan's body to react.

"I-, nothing." He tried to slip out of Phil's grip.

"No wait," Phil said, gentleness returning to his voice. "I want to know."

Dan was suddenly painfully aware of the hand that was resting against his lower stomach.

"Phil," he complained, drawing out the name, fists clenched.

He felt Phil's lips at his neck and his breath grew shallow. Despite the urge to move away, he tilted his head, allowing Phil a better angle.

"You're gonna leave marks on me again," he whined.

Phil ignored the complaint. "Do you want me to make you feel good?"

Dan groaned out his name again.

"Dan," he teased in response.

"Phil, please. You're driving me crazy."

"What do you want?"

"Please, I want you to touch me, Phil." It sounded as if he were going to cry, and Phil surveyed his face carefully.

He slid a hand further down, and Dan put a hand over his, feeling a lurch in his groin and he rolled onto his back.

"Go slowly, please," Dan warned, but Phil swallowed the words in a kiss and he pulled back a moment later.

With his hand still beneath Dan's, Phil let his fingers slip beneath the waist band of his flannel pants, but not into his boxers. Not yet, anyway.

Phil palmed Dan's hardness, earning a hip roll and a sigh.

Dan's own hand left Phil's and held onto the bed sheet beneath him.

"If it's too much, tell me."

Dan gulped, eyes fluttering and he shook his head.

Phil massaged his erection, a slight smile on his face as he watched the way Dan's body moved.

"Oh," Dan let out a breathy moan. "Don't stop."

He continued doing this for a few moments, and he rolled over, nudging Dan's legs open so that he could settle between them.

In surprise, Dan looked down, slightly wide eyed and licked his lips feverishly.

Phil looked up, seeking permission from Dan, but he only let his head fall back on the pillow and shut his eyes.

So Phil reached up and hooked his fingers into the waistband of Dan's flannel pants and boxers and tugged them down slowly.

Dan's heart pounded wildly in his chest, his entire body pulsing with the rush of his blood, and Phil was hardly touching him yet.

He let out an uneven breath when he felt Phil's mouth on his pelvic bones and a hand closing around the base of his dick.

His mouth dropped open when Phil's hot, wet mouth wrapped around him and began to move.

Phil's name fell brokenly from his lips and he cursed.

Dan's responsive noises and movements were driving Phil so mad with arousal that his hips were beginning to shift forward as he was trying to find some friction for himself.

He pulled away for a breath and Dan looked down at him, eyes hooded and dark.

"Seeing you like this is driving me crazy," he breathed and Dan let his head fall back onto the pillow once more, heaving a breath.

Dan's body undulated as Phil pumped his erection, spreading his pre-cum. When Phil's mouth was on him again, he reached down, fingertips slipping into his hair like it was an anchor as his hips lifted into the sensation.

"Phil, oh fuck. Phil," he cried, his hand gripping Phil's hair tighter and fuck if Phil wasn't turned on by it.

"Don't stop. I'm almost there," he whined as he continued to thrust upward into Phil's mouth with abandon.

Phil reached down and palmed himself through his thin pajama pants and boxers, and he realized his own pre-cum had leaked from him. As he stroked himself through the material he moaned around Dan.

"Phil," his eyes shot open and he looked down, taking in the image of Phil's plump, pink lips around him as he massaged himself. Phil released him from his mouth as he threw his head back, mouth falling open and crying out coarsely when his come began to spill out of him. Pleasure wracked his body while Phil continued to pump him and let him ride out the orgasm.

Dan began to recover and watched in wonder as Phil was grinding his hips into his own hand and crying out.

His name escaped Dan's lips again.

Phil panted roughly, shamelessly finishing inside his pants. Despite how spent he was, he crawled up to kiss Dan hard on the mouth, letting him taste himself.

When Phil pulled back and held himself up by his shaking arms, he realized that Dan was emitting that brilliant glow. He could feel the warmth from it, as if it were a small fire.

"Dan?"

Dan blinked, lifting his heavy lids and looked at the hand that was holding onto Phil's shoulder.

He smiled and Phil looked at him in concern. "Are you-," he stopped when Dan spoke.

"No," he said. "Look."

Where Dan was touching Phil, the glow began to spread. The warm buzz flooded Phil's body and soon the both of them were glowing and lighting up the room like a torch.

It felt warm, and safe. Like a fuzzy blanket was around them, but infinitely better.

In awe, Phil laughed.

"Did you know this would happen?"

"No," Dan shook his head, with a slight smile. "I mean, I'd heard about this happening. I didn't think it actually could happen, though. I didn't believe it."

"It's brilliant," Phil looked down at his own hands as they pressed into the mattress at either side of Dan's chest. "How long will it be like this?"

"I don't know. Maybe a few minutes."

"It's beautiful."

Dan hummed and the hand that was at Phil's shoulder slid up to his neck so he could bring him down to kiss him.

As they kissed the glow brightened, burning against their eyelids. When they opened their eyes again the light became immensely bright and darkened quickly.

Phil frowned, but was still completely amazed and blissful. They floated back down to earth, their breathing evening out.

"I'm sorry," Dan said, tempted to wipe away his own come from Phil's neck and collar bones. "I've made a mess of you."

"Don't worry about it. I've kind of made a mess of myself anyways."

"Fuck. That was incredible, Phil. You've no idea."

"Seeing how good I made you feel was such a turn on, Dan. I loved sucking you off. But I'll be right back, okay?"

Dan hummed and Phil got up from the bed. He instantly felt colder.

He pulled his own pants back up and around his waist. His legs felt numb and he was so sensitive that the cloth nearly burned.

Phil returned to the room naked, but had cleaned himself up. He got a new pair of pajamas out of his drawers to put on and he crawled back into bed with Dan.

He settled, curled up to Dan's side. Their breathing was slow and even.

Dan felt completely blissful.

"To be honest," Phil began to speak a few minutes later. "I'm kind of embarrassed that I came in my pants."

"Phil, that was hot." Dan argued.

"Erm, okay...," he laughed awkwardly.

"No, I mean it." Dan turned onto his side, facing Phil with his hands clasped beneath his head. "Everything about that was… freaking amazing." He smiled at Phil. "I'm surprised I held my shit together."

"I was kind of worried about that." Phil admitted. "You, er, you got really into it."

Dan chuckled, his eyes twinkling in the darkness. "So did you."

Phil's face grew warm at Dan's comment, but let out a small laugh. "I did."

"I love you, Phil." Dan said, his voice softening.

"I love you too, Dan."

They looked back at each other for a moment and smiled, but then shifted around to their most comfortable sleeping positions.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

* * *

thanks for reading and btw i set up a dan and phil themed tumblr if anyone wants to check it out :) yesiwritefanfics . tumblr . com


	14. Chapter 14

warning: NSFW content in this chapter too lol

* * *

"Phil, it looks a bit like you're glowing," Louise remarked as they sat around the table in their break room.

"What?" Phil had gone a bit wide-eyed and looked down at his hands.

"No," she laughed at him, unaware that for moment he was truly worried that he was actually glowing. "I just mean you seem really happy." She surveyed his face for a moment. "Wait," she gasped slightly. "You've gotten laid."

"Louise," he groaned, blushing red. "I haven't-, I mean-, you just mind your self, will ya?"

"Oh, c'mon. I'm only teasing a bit. But in all seriousness, are you seeing that guy?"

"What guy?"

"The one who kept coming in here for, like, a whole week."

"You mean Dan?"

"Oh, so his name is Dan," she grinned, a wicked glint in her eye.

"No!" Phil realized his mistake. "Well yeah, but," he sputtered, face turning red.

"So are you seeing him or what?"

"Er, yeah. I am. He's my boyfriend." He admitted, smiling.

"That's wonderful, Phil. You have seemed to be a bit… happier."

"Do I?"

Phil supposed it was true. Even his father had noticed, and Chris as well.

His life had always felt so bland, and ordinary. He never thought he'd find the right person that he could spend his life with. Yet, he found someone who was more than just the right person.

He'd found a soul mate. He'd found a bit of magic and wonder in between working, watching Netflix, and playing video games with Chris.

"Phil, someone's asking for you," Cat came into the break room, and walked back out again just as quick.

"Huh?" He looked to Louise, who shrugged, just as clueless as he was.

He stood and went out to the dining area, then passed through the server's line to reach the restaurant foyer.

His eyes fell on Dan, who was sat on the couch meant for waiting guests.

He looked up, sensing Phil close by, and smiled brightly. He stood quickly.

"What are you doing here?" Phil asked, gesturing outwardly as he approached Dan.

"I," he drawled out the word thoughtfully, "… just wanted to check on you."

"Check on me? Of course I'm fine, Dan." Phil laughed, head tilting slightly.

"I know." He said. "I just… wanted to see you?"

It wasn't a lie. Dan really did want to see him, but since Phil had left he'd had this unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach and he couldn't rest.

Phil chuckled at him again, and he glanced back towards the kitchen. Louise and Cat were standing there under the archway where the server's line opened up. They seemed to be talking animatedly, and they looked away pointedly when they noticed Phil looking and disappeared behind the wall.

"I'm on break, why don't we go sit outside for a couple minutes, yeah?"

"Okay," Dan agreed and Phil led the way back out of the restaurant. His car wasn't parked too far from the entrance and he quickly unlocked it.

"Go ahead," Dan nodded for Phil to sit in the driver's seat, opting not to sit as well.

Phil grabbed a spare jacket.

It was growing much colder lately.

He looked up at Dan, who was surveying the area carefully. His stomach began to twist uncomfortably.

"Dan?"

Dan looked down at Phil.

"You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?"

"Yeah, look Phil." Dan crouched, so that he was lower than Phil, and ninety degrees to him.

"Everything is fine. It's just… you know those oil lamps I had?"

Phil nodded, prompting him to continue.

"Well, when I went to go get my paperwork and stuff… One of them had been knocked over and I've felt anxious ever since."

"Really?" Phil didn't feel alarmed. In fact, he sort of expected something like this to have happened.

"Yeah. I've tried to convince myself that whoever or whatever knocked it over was completely harmless and innocent, but… I just get real anxious about it."

"I'm sure it's fine," Phil assured him. "Come here."

Phil reached out and grabbed Dan's jacket. Dan obeyed his touch and was unceremoniously pulled into Phil's lap.

"I'm not too heavy am I?"

"No," Phil chuckled, pulling Dan tighter against him.

"You're not upset with me?" He was amazed that was Phil wasn't angry with him, not even a little angry.

"No. Because even if you'd been more convincing, I still would have known that something was making you agitated. I can feel it right now."

"I should apologize."

"Don't. I get it."

Dan turned and pressed a kiss to Phil's forehead.

Phil reached into his pocket for his phone to check the time. As he had a few minutes still, he returned the phone to his pocket and wrapped his arms around Dan again.

Phil's hands were comforting as they settled across Dan's stomach, over his jacket. He put his hands over Phil's.

"Hey, how about on Friday, we go and get your ID, and then maybe go out to eat or something like that?"

"Sure," Dan agreed.

It was still only Sunday, and it was really only an idea. Neither of them knew what to expect as they week progressed.

"Have you ever really been downtown?"

"Years ago."

"Well, why don't we go and spend some time down there one day. You know, get out for a bit."

"That sounds nice."

Phil hummed in response and pressed the side of his face to Dan's warm back.

He felt the vibrations as Dan began to speak. "You have to go back in soon, don't you?"

"I've got a few minutes still," he murmured back to him. "And then I'll be home in just a couple of hours."

They sat quietly for a few more minutes, surrounding each other in warmth.

"Hey," Dan said to Phil as they sat across the table from each other, eating steak.

"Hmm?" Phil hummed around a bit of food.

"This might seem like a weird idea." He said as Phil continued eating, listening.

"I'd sort of like to go on a walk later. We haven't really-, I mean it was always really nice when we met in the woods. And I thought we could go and lie out there for a bit? It's a bit cold, but nothing a couple of jackets can't help."

"Are you getting a bit cooped up or something?" Phil asked as he finished his bite of food, looking at Dan with concern. The light above them in the dining area reflected off of his glasses and made his eyes almost indiscernible in the glare.

"Not really. I mean, I was alone for the longest time, so I'm sort of used to it. I just thought it'd be nice."

"It does sound nice. After we finish eating we'll go?"

Around a smile Dan said, "Yeah."

They finished eating and Phil cleared their places as Dan went to collect his jacket and boots. When Phil joined him in the foyer, he helped him slide his arms into the sleeves of his own jacket.

Phil turned and said, "Thanks," as he zipped it up.

"Is this one warm enough?"

Phil hummed. He put his own shoes on and laced them up. "I just have to lock the door on the way out."

"Can we bring a blanket?"

"Er, yeah, but we can't stay out there for long. I've got work in the morning." Phil pushed his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose, looking over at Dan with slight hesitance.

"Sure, yeah." Dan said airily as Phil turned away to grab the throw blanket off the edge of the couch.

He grabbed his keys and phone off of a small end table in the foyer as well and Dan led the way out of the house. Phil locked the door a bit clumsily, and then slipped his keys into his jean pockets.

Dan took Phil's hand, tugging him along eagerly. Phil had the blanket hung over his other arm.

It was rather cold, but their jackets were just warm enough that they were still comfortable.

They stepped off of the porch, their shoes tapping dulcetly on the steps. As they walked through the grass, their feet rustled the foliage.

The moon was half full, and lighted their path just well enough.

"It's nice out, huh?" Dan said.

Phil agreed. The stars were remarkably bright, and the sound of crickets chirping was relaxing.

They were walking through the trees with hands clasped, the sound of their feet hardly a whisper, their breathing even quieter.

They both wanted to speak, but didn't want to disturb the serenity of the forest either.

They had reached their destination, and Phil laid out the blanket neatly with Dan's help. Luckily, the grass hadn't collected moisture that night and they could sit and lie back comfortably.

Dan lied with his arms crossed beneath his head, and Phil clasped his hands over his stomach.

"You were right," Phil said after a few moments.

"About?" Dan had been so engrossed in his own thoughts for a few moments that he needed explanation.

"That coming out here would be nice."

Dan hummed and he turned on his side unexpectedly and propped his head up by his hand, elbow pressing into the blanket.

"Dan, you're up to something. Aren't you?"

"Phil, c'mon," Dan shot him a look, playfully feigning offense. But even as he did so, he leaned in closer to Phil, laying a hand over his.

"Don't give me that look. You're always up to something." Phil rebutted, but he struggled to his keep voice even, especially when Dan let his hand travel further south.

"Always," Phil emphasized. The feeling of Dan's hand on him was exciting him quickly and he forced himself to remain aloof. This became extremely difficult as Dan let his finger tips brush over the waistband of his jeans, over his thin jacket.

Phil didn't know it, but Dan's heart was probably pounding even harder than his own. He hesitated, letting his hand settle for a moment. He noticed the way Phil's hand clenched over his other hand.

He looked back up just in time to see into Phil's twinkling eyes, before Phil boldly rolled over and onto Dan, crushing their mouths together.

"Don't tease," he said in between demanding kisses and lip nibbles. He elicited lots of breathy noises from Dan that excited him immensely.

"You teased me," Dan managed to argue, as he held onto Phil. Desperate to be closer, he shifted his legs around and wrapped them around Phil's hips. He filled his hands with Phil's ass and ground their hips together. The sensation caused tingles and the both of them moaned gutturally.

"Fuck you," Phil said bitingly through heavy breaths.

Dan smirked at Phil, and ran his hands up his back. He pressed his weight into one of his legs and one hand, allowing him to flip the both of them over. With one hand at Phil's back and the other pressed into the blanket, he managed to gently lower him back to the blanket.

Phil looked up at Dan, and he gazed back playfully.

"That was graceful."

"Grace is my middle name."

"Just kidding it's James."

Phil chuckled, but his breath got caught in his throat at Dan's next movements.

He shimmied down Phil's body, knees at either side of him, sort of trapping him as he pushed at his clothes.

Phil reached down to undo the zipper on his jack, and sat up. In sync, Dan rocked back onto his knees and when Phil had his jacket out of his way, he stripped his t-shirt off of him. His glasses fell off in the process and they both paused, being sure that they were safe and they both chuckled softly for a moment.

The cool air hardly fazed Phil as it seeped into his skin. He had grown far too hot by their activities to be really affected by it.

Phil lied back onto the blanket, and Dan began to drag his mouth and tongue along Phil's collar bone. As he traveled lower, passed his belly button, he pulled back a bit and reached for Phil's jeans. With a hot face and shaking hands, he undid the zipper.

He was beginning to grow quite nervous. He had never done this for someone before.

Phil slipped his own hands into the waistband of his jeans, beginning to push them down and Dan followed his lead, pulling them down and out of the way.

Fuck, Phil was unbelievably hard, he realized. He did that to Phil.

He tried to remember what Phil had done before and reached tentatively to grip his dick in his hand.

Phil's pre-cum had leaked from him and he pumped him slowly, spreading the wetness. He looked up at Phil, relieved that he seemed to be enjoying it.

Phil's hips began to move in time with the motion of Dan's hand. "Yes," he hissed quietly.

Dan remembered how good it felt for Phil's mouth to be on him, so he left a few kisses around Phil's pelvic bones and earned himself a few encouraging noises.

"That feels really fucking good, Dan." Phil said unexpectedly and he looked up. "Don't stop."

Dan tentatively ran his tongue along Phil's dick before surrounding him completely with his mouth. He heard Phil's pleasured gasp and he began bobbing his head a bit, being careful not to use his teeth.

"Fucking yes, Dan. That feels so good," he moaned and he reached down to slip his fingers into Dan's hair. He began to guide Dan at a pace he liked and his noises grew increasingly louder.

He pulled back for a breath, pumping his dick for a moment, and then he began suck him off again. He was growing more comfortable with the movements and finding different things that Phil enjoyed, like the way he flicked his tongue over and around the head of his dick.

"Oh fuck," he groaned harshly when Dan did this and he smiled up at him.

He continued to bob his head, and Phil began to thrust his hips up into Dan's mouth, moaning loudly.

"Dan, I'm gonna come. Oh fuck," he jerked his hips unevenly a few times and suddenly Phil was shooting his release, his body shaking with the ecstasy. Dan released him from his mouth, continuing to pump him as he rode out the orgasm.

Phil felt numb from the waist down and he smiled at Dan, panting roughly.

"You're still fully dressed," Phil observed as Dan crawled up to kiss him. He could taste himself on Dan's lips.

"I think we ought to remedy that," he said. "Lie back."

Dan obeyed him and they stripped him of his clothing much like they had done to Phil.

Phil reciprocated what Dan had done for him, and he was brought to a blissful finish, his body quaking as he cried out.

Using a bit of the blanket they weren't lying on, they wiped each other up, laughing shamelessly and grinning widely at each other as they were illuminated and surrounded by warmth.

As they recovered from the ecstasy they lied back onto the blanket and grew cold quickly. They pulled their pants all the way back up their jelly legs and pulled their t-shirts back over their heads, smiling at each other.

Suddenly, Dan heard the scraping of a shoe against a branch and he instinctively rolled over to protect Phil. He looked up, to see a dark-haired slim figure up in a tree.

Dan could hear the splintering of wood and a voice say, "Shit," flatly.

The boy who fell from the tree, groaned and shifted about on the ground, obviously checking for injuries and Dan stared as he hovered above Phil.

Confused and only a little amused, Phil looked at Dan, and twisted about and out from underneath Dan to see the figure.

Dan stared unwaveringly, still on his own hands and knees as the boy sat up.

"Dan?" A timid voice asked. The boy didn't have a particularly high-pitched voice, but it had the musical quality of a bird's chirp. Through the darkness the boy's eyes shined a familiar shade of brown

Realization dawned on him at how familiar the boy looked and sounded. His eyes grew even wider.

"Adrian?" Dan sat back, kneeling and Phil was still lying beside him.

"Er, yeah. Sorry." He said rather anticlimactically.

Adrian was one of his only relatives that he had ever met when he was younger. His spirit animal was a hawk.

"You ass. You know how freaked out I was? I was about to tear you apart."

"Right," his cousin remarked sarcastically. "I'm surprised you didn't realize I was there. You were always really observant and intuitive. But then again," Adrian smirked, "you had other things on your mind."

His eyes flicked over to Phil, who decided to finally speak. "Erm, about that…"

"Yeah, how long have you been there?" Dan impatiently asked.

"Long enough. Man, you've grown up. Look at you. Found your mate and everything."

Phil blushed furiously and buried his face in his arms.

"Sorry," he added quickly.

"Phil, it's alright. We've all always been a bit shameless, don't worry." Dan reassured him.

Phil moaned in response, mortified.

This boy, Adrian, he supposed his name was, had seen _everything._

"I'm sorry," Adrian said again. "I didn't know it was you at first, Dan. And I should've said something, but then… You know, how could I interrupt that?"

Dan chuckled and crossed his legs.

The embarrassment radiated off of Phil and both Dan and Adrian felt a bit guilty.

"So, Adrian is actually my cousin, Phil." He nudged Phil comfortingly. "He's a hawk," he added informatively.

"Erm," Phil turned his head and said quietly, "that's pretty cool."

"So what are you doing here?" Dan asked, leaning back into his hands.

"Well, looking for you." He said, as if Dan should have realized. "Oh, and sorry about your oil lamp, by the way."

"What?" Dan laughed. "That was you?" Relief flooded his body.

"Yeah," Adrian chuckled awkwardly.

"I was freaking out about that for a while."

"Well, I was kind of freaked out that I wouldn't be able to find you. I thought maybe something bad happened when I came out here and just found the empty house."

Dan shook his head and Adrian said, "Have you been alone for a while?"

"Er, sort of, but I met Phil," he glanced over at Phil lying beside him and he smiled at Dan. "And… yeah."

Adrian smiled at the two of them. "Well, I'm glad."

"So, where's your Dad?"

Adrian's mother had died while giving birth to him. He had never met her, and his Dad did alright because he still had Adrian.

"Er, Dan… He's…"

"No," Dan said in a low, disbelieving voice. "What happened?"

Adrian drew in a shaky breath and Phil felt as if he were invading on a private moment.

"Some fucking dickbags jumped him," he said harshly, angry tears escaped his eyes.

Dan had never known his uncle particularly well, because he was always with Adrian when their entire family was together. Adrian was more like a brother to him, and he wanted to comfort him.

"Are you kidding me? Why?"

"I don't know," he mumbled nasally, wiping at his face, frustrated.

Phil looked up at Dan, unsure of what to do or say. He realized he ought to check the time, and got his phone out of his pants pocket, keys jingling as well in the process. It was definitely growing late.

"Hey," he spoke up quietly. "Why don't we get home, huh? Adrian, you can stay with me."

"Thanks, Phil."

Phil hummed and the three of them began to gather themselves up for the trek back to Phil's house.

The pain in Adrian's heart was fresh and it stung Dan, and by extension, Phil as well.

Dan pulled his younger cousin into his arms and Phil folded up the blanket that they had previously been lying on.

"Everything's okay," Phil heard him whisper to his cousin and tears stung his own eyes, his throat closed up and he took a deep breath. He led the way home, and the other two fell into step beside him.

When they arrived at Phil's home, he got a clean blanket for Adrian and he crawled onto the couch. Dan sat beside him, and didn't really say anything, but cupped his chin in his hand.

"Are you hungry, Adrian?" Phil asked.

"No, I'll eat in the morning. Don't worry."

"Okay." He said to Dan, "Er, I'm gonna take a shower and then get some sleep."

Dan nodded. "I'll go and lie down in just a bit."

He had missed his cousin. It'd been over a decade since they'd seen each other. Adrian had been less than ten years old.

"Phil works in the morning," Dan told him and continued quietly. "I feel kind of guilty. I never did really go to school and don't have my diploma, or my GED. I can't get a job without it."

"Oh, you'll be fine," Adrian said, remembering how smart Dan had always been. "The GED exams are easy."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

They grew quiet for a few moments. "Why do people have to die?" Dan suddenly asked.

"Dan?"

"We're all going to die someday and it… sucks."

"Well, Mr. Well Spoken… It's just the way things work. I mean, imagine if everyone born never died. The planet would be overflowing with people. Not that it already isn't, but you know."

Dan chuckled, "I guess that's true."

"And it sort of makes the time we spend here more meaningful. It makes the relationships we have more significant, you know? We can't stop life from ending, so we need to experience all that we can."

"Hmm. I guess I could've used that bit of insight years ago when I decided I was gonna be stuck like a hermit in the woods."

Adrian chuckled, but said, "You were really completely alone all that time?" Dan nodded. "Why didn't you try to find Dad and I?"

"I'm… not sure. Probably because all that time Phil was really just a few miles away."

Adrian hummed in understanding.

Dan hadn't realized they had sat together for so long until Phil stepped out of the shower, a towel around his waist, and another around his shoulders. He shot them a small smile, and then disappeared into his bedroom.

"Erm, goodnight," Dan said to Adrian, suppressing a smile.

Adrian smirked back at him and said, "Goodnight."

He patted his cousin's leg and then rose from the couch. He shut off the lights, locked the doors and then followed Phil into the bedroom where Phil had already changed into pajamas and was now settling beneath the covers.

Dan quickly changed as well and crawled into the bed beside him.

"Kind of cool to meet your cousin," Phil mumbled sleepily as he scooted a bit closer to feel the warmth of Dan's body.

Dan hummed in agreement and then said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Dan."


	15. Chapter 15

warning: NSFW content in this chapter its also a little short but oh well

* * *

"Dan is really cool," PJ commented as Chris drove the two of them home the Saturday that they had spend the afternoon with Phil and Dan. He looked over at Chris, who seemed to truly have no idea that Dan was like him.

"Yeah, he is," Chris agreed.

Despite that it was raining, Chris had the window down partway.

Chris slid his eyes over to notice that PJ was watching him with a funny expression.

"What?" he laughed.

"Nothing," PJ replied, looking away to gaze out the front windshield.

They arrived at Chris' small home soon, and they got out of the car and walked up into the house. Chris flicked on a light, and they hung their jackets up.

"That hickey though," Chris remarked, and PJ chuckled. In a mumble Chris imitated Dan from earlier that Day. "Er, Well, I mean…"

Both he and PJ laughed as they walked further into the house.

"So, erm, a movie then?" Chris suggested after they had both slipped their shoes off near the couch.

"Yeah, that sounds good."

PJ took up one side of the couch, as Chris picked out a DVD and started the movie.

They settled to watch the movie, and PJ was hardly paying any attention.

"Chris?" he said.

"Hm?" Chris didn't look away from the movie.

"You haven't realized, have you?'

"Realized what?"

"Dan… He's…," PJ hesitated.

"He's what?" Chris was now gazing at PJ, his attention captured.

"Like me."

"What do you mean, like you?"

"What I am to you, Dan is to Phil."

"You mean…?"

Chris entertained the idea in his mind for a moment. It did seem as if Dan and PJ had clicked really well, and it occurred to him why.

Was it possible that Dan, and the wolf that Phil had brought up a few weekends back, were the same… entity?

"He didn't tell me," Chris trailed off, confused.

"But you didn't tell him about me, either."

"True," Chris nodded. "But it makes sense. Phil was telling me about this wolf he'd met and next thing I know Dan is living with him. And he's been so much happier."

PJ smiled and Chris went on to say, "I'll have to call him this week or something. Did he think I wouldn't believe him?"

"Did you think that Phil would have believed you if you told him about me?"

"No, I guess not."

"There's your answer."

"I guess that makes sense. But, I'm the only one who's been out of the loop this whole time?" He said exasperatedly.

"Erm," PJ laughed. "Yeah."

They grew quiet for a few moments before Chris suddenly said, "Dan's a wolf," and the both of them chuckled.

Despite that the film they had picked out was interesting, Chris couldn't help but crawl over to the other end of the couch to where PJ was and draped himself across his chest.

"Feeling a bit cuddly?" PJ asked, smiling.

"Sh, this is supposed to be cute."

The blue-eyed man laughed, the vibrations radiating through and filling Chris' ears like music.

"You're cute," PJ remarked, still grinning.

Chris shot a look up at PJ, who only smiled cheekily back at him. He pushed himself up a bit further to kiss PJ, who responded by putting a hand at his cheek.

Their mouths began to move quickly, and their hands ran along every still-clothed surface.

They were already so close together, that it wasn't long before Chris became excited because of the way their bodies pressed together.

He pressed himself tighter against PJ, whose legs had accommodated him and settled, bent at either side of him. He could feel that PJ was growing excited just as quickly.

"Chris," PJ warned, in between a kiss.

"Is-, Is this okay?"

"Yes, but I need you to go slow," he replied.

"We won't do everything if you don't want to-, or can't, yet. But I," Chris's face grew very hot, very quickly. "I want to suck you off."

PJ let out a breath and said, as if he were the one asking, "Please, Chris?"

Chris pressed his lips to PJ's again, kissing him roughly.

He began to tug at PJ's t-shirt and the both of them sat up a bit in order to strip it off of him, revealing smooth, pale skin.

Slowly, he ran his tongue and lips along the soft skin of PJ's collar, passed the smooth planes of his chest, over his stomach and even lower.

He pulled away, satisfied with the journey down PJ's body, but then reached for his jeans and with an encouraging look from him, Chris undid the button and zipper and tugged them down.

All the while, PJ breathed heavily and alternated between letting his head lay back on the couch, to looking at Chris with heavy eyelids.

Chris teased PJ, leaving wet kisses around his lower belly, and along the V of his hips. The quiet, restrained noises he earned from PJ excited him greatly.

"You can be loud," Chris said to him. "It's okay. Plus, it's kind of a turn on. Hearing you moan."

PJ didn't know what to say, but blinked and gulped thickly. His lips parted again, the sound of his breathing filling Chris' ears again.

When Chris began to suck him off ( _finally,_ PJ thought), he could no longer restrain his moans and cries of pleasure.

"That's so good," he whined, and Chris swore that it carried a tone of disbelief. "Don't stop."

Chris hummed around PJ, and the vibrations drove him wild. He pulled back, and flicked his tongue over the head of PJ's dick, eliciting sharp cries from him. He bobbed his head, hollowing his cheeks out.

"Shit, Chris. I'm gonna-," PJ cried out, losing coherency as his hips undulated with ecstasy.

Chris swallowed every bit of his release as it spilled out of him. He crawled up PJ's body to kiss him again, letting him taste himself.

PJ asked, "That felt really good, Chris. But, what about you?"

"You don't have to worry about me-Oh!" PJ had reached down and touched Chris through his jeans unexpectedly.

"I want to, though." PJ insisted, and he continued to massage Chris.

"Oh… kay," Chris struggled to reply.

Chris kissed PJ affectionately again, nudging him a bit so that he could lie back on the couch. He gulped, his heart racing, and said, "It'll be a bit easier like this."

PJ agreed silently, and began to work on getting Chris' pants out of the way.

It'd been a little while since Chris had been with anyone, so when PJ's hands and mouth started working him, no matter how slowly at first, it drove him wild.

When his body began to quake with his orgasm he choked out to PJ, "I'm gonna-, you don't have t-!" He let out a broken cry, releasing into PJ's mouth.

PJ swallowed everything Chris had for him, and he pulled back when Chris finished.

"Was that okay?"

"Okay?" Chris asked, amazed. "That was incredible." He pulled PJ in for a kiss.

As they kissed a cozy warmth surrounded them and when PJ pulled back with a smile, Chris was amazed to find that the both of them were emitting a soft glow.

"Wha-, PJ?"

A small smile spread across PJ's face. "Erm, that's kind of normal, actually."

"Oh, yeah, maybe for you," Chris couldn't help the sarcasm that slipped out of him, but he still smiled and kissed PJ.

The glow grew much brighter, but then dissipated quickly as if someone blew out a candle as they redressed themselves and settled back onto the couch, with PJ resting his head on Chris' chest.

"I love you, PJ."

"I love you too, Chris."


	16. Chapter 16

"I want to work again," PJ said to Chris as they sat on the couch together, watching Doctor Who on Wednesday.

"Again?"

"Yeah, I worked in a convenient store downtown when I lived with my brother."

"Well, do whatever you like. If you want to go out and apply at a few different places, I'll take you."

"That'd be nice."

"How about, mid-week next week in the afternoon, we'll go around and you can go in and apply wherever you want to stop?"

"Yeah," PJ agreed. He sort of missed the feeling of accomplishment at the end of a long work day.

They grew quiet again for a bit, as they tuned back into Doctor Who and at the end of an episode, Chris decided he ought to call Phil.

After he had found Phil's number in his contacts he tapped the call button and held the phone to his hear.

"Hey, Chris." Phil answered cheerfully.

"Hey. Say hi to PJ," Chris leaned over, grinning and held the phone to PJ's ear.

"Hi Phil," PJ spoke into the phone, rolling his eyes at Chris.

Chris laughed quietly and then retracted his hand, returning the phone to his ear. He said to Phil, "I know something you don't know I know."

"And what might that be?"

Chris ignored the question and said, "Say, have you ever found the wolf again?"

"Chris, you are making no sense whatsoever right now."

"PJ told me. About Dan. And you."

"Oh," Phil said, understanding. "I should have told you. I doubted that you would have believed me. I just thought it be best to keep that to myself. But of course, you met PJ and Dan and I both knew." He finished, a smile in his voice.

"Everyone left me out of the loop. I feel so left out," Chris mocked a hiccupping cry.

Phil laughed in response, "I would have gotten around to telling you. Eventually."

"Eventually," Chris echoed harshly. "Yeah, I might have started to wonder when you and Dan have wolf babies."

"Oh my god," Phil chuckled, and although Chris didn't see it, he knew his head was shaking. "You're terrible."

"But in all seriousness, that's pretty awesome."

"Yeah," Phil agreed, and Chris shuddered inwardly at the way his voice softened, despite he did feel a bit soft on the inside for just a moment.

"But you know my rule."

"No chick flick moments allowed." Phil confirmed dutifully.

"But if this was a chick flick," Chris said, betraying himself. "I'd say that I'm really happy. And happy that you are happy."

"And then I'd say thanks, me too."

"And then we'd plan a big slumber party and watch Sleepover to have girl time."

Phil laughed and then said, "Not even in an alternate universe."

"Right," Chris agreed with a wide grin.

"So, Dan and I are going to be going downtown to the mall on Friday afternoon if you and PJ want to join us. You'll get to meet Adrian, Dan's cousin."

"He's got a cousin?"

PJ looked over at Chris, interest piqued.

"Yeah, he's cool. Been staying with us since Sunday, actually."

"You need to keep me better updated than this, Phil." Chris scolded playfully.

"I know I'm a shit friend, huh?"

"I'm kidding. If anything I'm the shit friend here."

"Nonsense. So you and PJ want to go this weekend?"

"Yeah, hang on let me ask PJ." Chris turned to PJ, who was smiling and said, "Yes," before he even got to his question.

"Yeah, sounds good." He grinned.

"Alright, awesome. I'll ring you back on Saturday then. Or sooner. Depends."

"Right, later."

"Later," Phil agreed, closing the conversation and Chris hung up his phone.

"My social life's been exciting lately."

PJ laughed, and Chris shifted to lie back on the couch. He gestured for PJ to lie with him and said, "Come here, puppy."

At first PJ didn't say anything, but obeyed Chris and stretched out next to him. His back was pressed to Chris's chest, and everything felt incredibly warm throughout the both of their bodies.

"Puppy?" PJ asked with a cringe.

"It's cute. And you're cute."

"You're a dork."

"You still love me."

"I do."

"I love you, puppy."

"I love you too, you weirdo."

* * *

Dan, Phil, and Adrian met up with Chris and PJ at the mall.

They met near the bookstore, and walked throughout the complex building. Occasionally they would stop and look through a shop and idly browse. They pointed out cool Halloween themed decorations and they went into one shop that was mainly Halloween themed.

They looked over the cool and cheesy costumes.

"Dan, look." Adrian said, pointing to a werewolf costume, complete with a mask, a flannel shirt and ripped jeans. Along the same shelf a single wolf mask could be found.

"No," Dan shook his head as Phil lifted the mask off the hook. He held it up next to his face and Phil feigned seriousness for a moment.

"I think we found _your_ Halloween costume," he said and Dan shook his head.

"That's not funny," Dan said, deadpan. "Put that back, Phil."

The five of them laughed, and went along the other racks, pointing out ridiculous or downright inappropriate costumes.

They left the costume shop, and made their way down the large corridor. They paused at one point to stand idly near the fountain and appreciate the way the water glittered in the light streaming in from the skylight.

The mall was a great place, Dan decided.

They lingered on the outskirts of the food court, Adrian, Chris and PJ were people watching and Phil turned to Dan and asked, "Do you want to get a smoothie?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." He agreed.

"We're going to get smoothies." Phil announced to the other three. "Do you guys want any?"

"Nah, that's okay." Adrian said and they agreed with him.

While Dan followed Phil to a nearby smoothie shop, the others sat on a nearby black iron bench.

"This has been really fun," Dan said to Phil as they stood in line.

"It's not ever yet," Phil told him with a smile.

"I know, but… thanks, you know." He smiled widely at his boyfriend, but as he heard the sound of dark laughter from down the large hall, his grin faltered.

Phil's eyes flicked to look at something behind Dan and his eyebrows knitted.

 _What a bunch of faggots_

Phil hadn't heard the comment, but instantly Dan's blood boiled and all he could see was red.

Wrath filled his eyes, and his jaw clenched and Phil, for the first time, was afraid of what he might be capable of.

PJ and Adrian felt the sudden fire exuding out of Dan, looking between him and what he was glowering toward as they had heard the comment as well. Horror struck Adrian.

"Dan," Phil said, but he was already turning around, headed straight for the group of three boys that were leaning against the wall.

All four other boys were calling after him, hot on his trail.

Rage heated Dan's blood, and made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

The pale boy with the black, spiked hair watched as Dan approached and mocked him to his two friends.

"How dare you," Dan growled, grabbing him by his collar. The boy's eyes widened as he was lifted an entire foot off the ground, and pressed to the concrete wall.

"Dan!" Adrian shouted desperately. "Don't!"

Phil's heart pounded, taking in the scene with wide eyes. PJ urged both him and Chris to leave, but they were both rooted to the spot.

Red flashed in the boy's eyes and his expression relaxed with a smirk as he realized the nature of the group of five that they'd previously been mocking.

Dan didn't relent. He pressed the boy harder to the concrete, despite seeing the red in his eyes.

"I don't care who the fuck you think you are. You don't dare talk about my friends that way."

The boy sneered at Dan, lip curling slightly.

"Dan," PJ put a hand at his shoulder, tugging him back. He glanced around and noticed that they were creating an awful scene. At any minute someone could call security over. "Dan, this is bad. We have to go."

Dan ignored him, continuing to fume as he stared at the boy dead on, watching the red swirl in his irises.

"Dan," Adrian attempted to get his attention as well and red eyes flicked over to him, a smirk spread across one side of his face.

"You're going to regret this," the boy said lowly as Dan relented, and his two friends jeered at Dan.

Dan was tempted to jump them as well, but he lowered the boy to the ground as PJ and Adrian tugged him back and led him away.

"What the fuck was that?" Phil demanded to know when they were safe in his car.

Dan was still upset, and he didn't want to shout back at Phil. Adrian winced in the backseat.

"You have no self control! What the hell is your problem?"

"You didn't hear what they said," Dan returned, his body still vibrating with anger and radiating off of him and into Phil.

"What could they have said to warrant that behavior?"

Phil had never shouted at him before. It was frightening.

"Phil, look-, Don't be so angry. It's my fault you feel so upset."

"You think I'm upset?! Dan, I'm confused!" Phil finally said, recalling the blood red irises of the three boys. "They weren't normal. What the hell is going on?"

"Phil, we need to just get out of here," Adrian spoke up gently. "Chris said that he and PJ would follow us."

Phil heaved a sigh and settled in the driver's seat. "You're right."

Phil started his car, and he drove around to the other side of the parking lot where Chris had said he was parked. When Phil drove passed Chris' car, he pulled out of the parking space and trailed after him.

The car was silent until Phil got onto the highway. Dan was rigid, and Phil focused too hard on the road.

Adrian began to speak.

"Phil, did Dan tell you about what happened to his Dad?"

He gulped, but nodded and Dan sat with his eyes shut. If you didn't know any better, you'd think he was sleeping.

"Sometimes, things turn out differently than it did with him."

"What do you mean?" Phil's grip on the steering wheel loosened slightly.

"Sometimes, not only do we become a shell of ourselves if we lose a mate, but a darkness can seep into that shell. Some of us become something else entirely after we're torn apart on the inside like that. Like a deep wound that gets infected."

"Is that what they were?"

"Yeah," he said. "They killed my Dad."

Dan's head jerked back to look at Adrian, and it felt as if someone threw a bottle of alcohol into a small fire as anger erupted inside him once again. "I swear to god I'm going to tear them apart."

"Dan," Adrian said brokenly. "That's not going to help."

The car grew silent again.

"This isn't okay," Phil said, more to himself than anything.

"No," Dan said. "It isn't."


	17. Chapter 17

Phil led the trio up his porch steps, shoes tapping lightly on the splintered wood.

Adrian glanced around, taking in the quickly darkening sky and the rustling of the leaves that layered the yard in brown, orange, and yellow.

Dan nudged him to head into the house first, and he shut the door behind them, locking it securely.

"Leave the lights off," Adrian advised and Dan drew the curtains and blinds to every window.

Phil followed him to the bedroom, where he closed blinds in here as well.

"Dan?"

Dan didn't answer, but pulled the off-white curtain shut.

He turned away again, and crossed in front of Phil, who trailed after him back towards the living room.

"Dan?"

"What?" He stopped in his tracks, twisting on his heel to look at Phil.

Wide-eyed, Phil stepped back, caught off guard by the edge in Dan's voice.

The shadows played on their faces, but their eyes shined with stress and worry, and the denial of fear.

"I'm sorry," Phil said quietly.

"No. I'm sorry, Phil." Dan's expression softened. "You don't know what's going on, and I don't know how to explain. But we're probably in trouble and it's probably all my fault."

"It's not, Dan."

"Guys, look, your fluff is cute, but I don't think we have much time for that sort of thing."

If the situation was different, they both would have laughed, but Adrian's words rang true and hung in the air.

"What do we do?" Phil was completely out of his element. He looked from Adrian to Dan, his light colored eyes shining with uncertainty.

"We have to lay low for a while. There is a chance they didn't follow us, but that doesn't mean that they wouldn't, either." Dan said.

"You mean-, you mean, they might try to-." Phil had trouble speaking, and Dan interrupted, saving him from the trouble.

"Yes, they could very well be after us. "You're going to regret this, is what he said."" Dan explained. His jaw clenched, his hands fisted and his mind was racing because that stupid fucking douche bag was right.

Dan picked up the sound of Chris pulling into the driveway, the car doors opening and closing, and he said, "Chris and PJ are here," to Phil as they climbed the wooden steps.

There was a quick knocking, and PJ called in, "It's Chris and I."

Phil approached the door, and simply out of anxiety he looked through the peep hole and then quickly engaged the lock and opened the door.

Chris stepped inside, quickly followed by PJ and the door was shut and locked behind them.

The five of them looked each other over as they moved about the house restlessly.

Everyone's eyes were filled with uncertainty, and varying degrees of concern and readiness.

But they were okay.

Silently, and reasoning to himself that they should eat dinner because it was normal and things needed to still be normal somehow, Phil went into the kitchen. He had put steaks in the fridge to thaw out for dinner, before they had gone downtown. He crouched and pulled a cupboard open to collect a skillet to cook the steaks on.

Initially, he couldn't find the skillet and with a frustrated sigh, he pushed a large pot out of the way. He spotted the skillet, but because he was a dumbass and his kitchen needed reorganizing, the skillet had been previously slid into the cupboard at an angle and Phil couldn't wedge the stupid thing out of the cupboard.

Pots and pans clanged against each other as he struggled with the skillet, and with one last shove he gave up because he doubted that anyone would even feel hungry after the climactic afternoon they'd had. He was aware that he was making a racket and acting like a child, but all of a sudden he was frustrated and angry and upset and _scared._

And he felt weak and unprepared and he found himself kneeling on the kitchen floor, his hands pressed into the grimy linoleum that was suddenly blurring but he was still wearing his glasses so it didn't make sense and he realized he was on the verge of crying.

And then Dan was beside him, saying quiet, soothing things that he couldn't really process as he pulled him into his arms.

"I need to cook dinner," he insisted through his tight throat.

"No, you don't." Dan said, and Phil was too tired to argue.

And Phil thought, ironically, that this was a lot like when Dan first showed him his abilities, but felt much, much different.

The situation was terrifyingly fragile.

Phil pulled himself closer to Dan, who tightened his hold as well and they were tangle of long limbs and bodies. Phil looked over Dan's shoulder at the others who had tactfully found various places to sit in the living room and were talking amongst themselves.

They spent a few minutes sitting there quietly and Phil eventually climbed off the floor and pulled Dan up with him.

He collected a glass of water and one for Dan as well. They should drink something at least, he reasoned.

Phil downed his glass of water and it sat stagnantly in his stomach at first. He left the cup in the sink, and then shuffled into the living room and leaned against the arm of his couch.

"We, erm," Chris began. "We're gonna go ahead and go back to my house," he said, referring to himself and PJ.

"I can be a sort of look out," Adrian said to Phil. "I can keep an eye on things."

"Keep the house dark," Dan said, as he crossed the small dining area and stood beside Phil. "Lock all the doors, the windows, everything."

"Call me in the morning or something, okay?" Phil said as the other three rose from the couch and recliner.

"Yeah," Chris promised.

"And be careful," Dan implored as the three of them headed towards the door.

Phil pulled the door open and shut it behind them, relocking it.

It was growing very dark, very quickly and with the blinds shut, the house would soon be completely dark. So Phil went into the kitchen to get the candles and lighter out of a drawer, and he recalled for a moment, the night he had put them into the drawer.

It was the night that all four of them, PJ, Chris, Phil, and Dan had played video games and had eaten pizza and he swore that everything was simple and perfect that night. He wanted to turn the earth back to that night.

He put the candles in various places of the house, using the wick of the first candle to light the rest and soon the house had a relaxing, ambient glow.

The light flickered occasionally as well, causing shadows to dance across the walls and Phil watched them curiously from he had settled, leaning back in his recliner.

For a while everything felt safe, and stable.

Dan stretched out across the couch, put a hand beneath his head and stared up at the ceiling. He knew Adrian was up there, outside somewhere, probably in the sky.

Phil's phone buzzed, and it reminded him that there was a world out there still.

When he brought it out from his jeans pocket the light burned his eyes and Chris' text read, _PJ and I are fine how are you and Dan?_

 _We're fine,_ was Phil's reply.

 _I'll check back with you in a bit then_

"That was Chris," he said quietly to Dan, breaking their silence. "They're fine."

"That's good," Dan replied.

Phil looked over at Dan, who returned the glance, and stood from the recliner.

"Scoot," he said gently, and Dan turned just right so that Phil could lie down with his back pressed to Dan's chest.

Dan's arm settled at his waist, and he could feel the rise and fall of his chest as he listened to his breath.

They weren't sleepy, but they were so quiet and still, save for the small movements they made like Phil's arm shifting to lie over Dan's, that they might have been asleep.

"Let me know if you get hungry," Phil said eventually.

"Are you hungry?"

"Not really. But if you are I'll cook something," he said, and then added in a mumble, "The steaks in the fridge should be eaten."

"Steak actually does sound pretty good."

Phil could hear the smile in his voice, and he grinned as well, but then turned over to look at Dan. "You think we'll be okay? Tonight at least?"

Dan looked at Phil with a gentle gaze and said,

"I won't let anything happen to you."

"Right, Mr. Invincible."

Dan smiled widely. "Hardly." With the hand that was previously lying beneath Phil's he doodled swirls on Phil's clothed stomach, absentmindedly pressing into the flesh. "I'm just as fragile as you are," he said in a vaguely soft voice.

"I love you, Dan."

"I love you too, Phil."

It wasn't much later when Phil had cooked himself and Dan the steaks that had been in the fridge, as well as canned vegetables.

It was extremely dark in the house where the glow of the candles couldn't reach and Phil knew they'd burn down soon, if not later.

Phil had used a flashlight to watch and double check that the steaks were cooked well enough, leaving one of them a bit redder in the middle for Dan.

After they had eaten they had used the restroom and resolved to crawl into bed and under the covers as they weren't really motivated to do much else.

Phil searched for Dan between the blankets, lips seeking lips and hands finding barriers to each other's flesh.

And maybe it was the wrong night for them to do this, when they were anxious and worried, but they didn't want to fret over the next morning, and what they would do when Phil had to work, or what it meant for their relationship. All that mattered was that Phil needed Dan and Dan needed to be needed by Phil.

Their hands urgently slipped beneath their clothes, removing the barriers completely, and Phil thought of all the cringe-worthy phrases and words he could imagine as he made certain that Dan was ready, because it was cheesy and sappy when they were finally moving together and crying for each other wantonly.

But it was perfect, and magical, and god, it was so fucking cheesy, and Phil wouldn't be able to think of it any other way when he looked back on it. Especially, when he and Dan curled up together in a cocoon of light and warmth and blankets and bodies, and whispered to each other before finally falling asleep in the comfort of each other's love.

* * *

The next morning was very still and peaceful, but the evidence of last night's activities still remained, so they alternated in and out of the small shower and dressed for the day.

Dan peeked out one window, and across the road, sitting atop Phil's mailbox, was a dark brown, hawk. Just then its head turned to peer at Dan and he grinned. Adrian.

The hawk took flight, and Dan couldn't see where it went to, but he knew Adrian would soon be fully dressed on the porch.

He stepped back from the curtain and he turned to Phil.

"Adrian's just outside."

Feeling an odd, and simultaneously foreboding sense of optimism, Dan and Phil waited a few short minutes until there was a knocking at the door.

Phil approached the door, followed by Dan, and he peered three through the peephole to see that Adrian was standing there.

He engaged the lock and pulled the heavy door open to reveal a tired looking, windswept-haired Adrian.

Phil let him step through the door and then shut it behind him, relocking it.

"Everything was completely ordinary last night," He said, in a tone that implied he was suspicious of the fact.

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Maybe," Adrian said.

"But they'd expect that we were expecting them, probably," Dan thought.

"Exactly," his cousin agreed.

"So…," Phil wondered.

"We'll just have to keep this up for a while. They'd come when they think we'd least expect it."

"When do you think that might be?"

"When we least expect it."

* * *

"Dan, you know I have to go to work tomorrow."

Dan sighed. He would really have preferred for Phil to remain at home. The drive to the restaurant was short, and Phil, of course, would be safe, but Dan's nerves were relentless.

They were settling under the covers for bed.

"I know." He replied, and he brought the pillows and blankets closer around them. It was a cold night.

"I'll be safe."

"Yeah," Dan said in agreement.

Phil scooted forward and they enveloped each other in their arms before getting to sleep.

* * *

Adrian and Dan were restless while Phil was gone, but luckily the day went by quickly enough and Phil returned safe and sound. Adrian frequently took to the skies to observe that the neighborhood was safe and there was no suspicious activity.

Phil called to check on PJ and Chris continuously. He was always assured that they were fine and safe.

They didn't bother for much longer to leave the lights down. Partly because, they were sick and tired of the bad lighting, but also because Phil didn't have any more candles to burn.

Everything seemed to be okay, but they had this unspoken agreement to remain vigilant.

They kept the blinds shut, but the sky was so grey and dreary that it wouldn't have made much of a difference to have them open. But Phil appreciated the colors of the leaves changing, despite the dark, looming clouds.

There was a thunderstorm on that Sunday night.

The lightning was terrifying beautiful, and the following thunder was powerful.

It made matters worse when the electricity went out.

"Shit," Phil had muttered as the three of them glanced around in the darkness.

If the electricity didn't come back on all of the food in the fridge would spoil.

Phil called Chris, and he said that yes, his power went out as well.

"It'll come back on soon. Always does," Chris assured him.

* * *

Phil returned home on Monday afternoon and walked into the house.

"Do you know how to get a hold of PJ?" Dan asked him.

"Oh, er, no." Phil hadn't thought of that.

He knew Chris had work today, and that if he called him, he would most likely still be there and would not answer.

"I'll call Chris in a bit," Phil resolved.

Phil, Dan, and Adrian played a couple of video games, mostly for a distraction, but it still was not exciting when Adrian managed to destroy the other two in their first person shooter game.

Suddenly Phil's phone went off, while Dan made a comment about Adrian making cheap shots, and the default ringtone for whatever reason, sounded so urgent in the mostly quiet house.

He could see it was Chris.

"Hello?"

"Phil!" Chris' frantic voice filled Phil's ears and the sound caused stomach to drop, and his heart to race.

"Phil, I need help!"

"Chris? What's going on?"

"It's PJ. He's-, he's hurt!"


	18. Chapter 18

Dan and Adrian both had already risen from the couch, grabbing their shoes and jackets as Phil got off the phone with Chris, promising him that they'd be right there.

"Dan, what if-,?"

"Just go. We'll sort it out." Dan urged him.

Phil grabbed his own shoes, jacket, and car keys and they rushed out of the house, and into the harsh cold.

Phil unlocked the car, climbed in, and started the engine. He was pulling out of the driveway as Adrian pulled his door shut.

The ride was short, and as soon as Phil had pulled into Chris' driveway, the three of them climbed out of the car and hurried up to the doorway which was slightly ajar.

Phil stepped into the house first, pushing the door all the way open, casting a dim light into Chris' foyer which opened up at the right to the living room.

"Chris?" Phil called.

"Phil," Chris' relieved voice sounded from the kitchen. "We're in here!"

The three of them followed Chris' voice. The layout of Chris' house created a sort of loop, where you could walk from the kitchen and dining area, through the foyer, into the living room and then back into the kitchen.

Phil rushed into the kitchen, and at the other side of the dining table, Chris was sitting cross legged, a half-conscious PJ laying across the floor and in his lap.

"Oh, fuck," Phil choked out.

Chris' hands had a bit of blood on them, and he clutched onto PJ's body as if he might disappear.

Phil couldn't spot where the blood was coming from at first, but as he rushed over to kneel beside them, he could see that PJ's shirt was soiled with blood.

"I don't know what to do," Chris said weakly.

"Okay, just hang on. Don't move," Phil said. "Dan, get me a knife, or scissors or something."

PJ was letting out pained moans, muffled by a mixture of his own breathing and his lips clamped shut.

"There," Phil nodded towards a drawer and Dan pulled it open, following Phil's instruction and searched quickly, the other items in the drawer creating a wide variety of clangs and tings. When he found a pair of scissors he quickly handed them to Phil.

"Okay, just hold still," Phil said and he gingerly lifted PJ's shirt away from his body and cut a slit up the center and he pulled back the cloth, revealing three somewhat deep gash roughly around the same area you'd find his appendix.

"It's going to be fine," Phil said firmly.

"Dan, I need you to get me towels and rubbing alcohol from the restroom," Phil ordered him, and he immediately obeyed half-running to the bathroom at the end of the hall and searching the linen closet and medicine cabinet frantically.

When he returned, and put these things on the ground, Phil said, "Now, get a pot from the cupboard," he nodded in the right direction and when Dan had collected the bucket he continued, "fill it with warm water."

Dan turned on both taps at the faucet, and the water grew warm quickly. He tested the temperature and when it was half-full he lowered the large pot to the floor beside Phil.

The awful smell of blood filled the air, and PJ continued to make small, pained, movements.

Phil took one of the towels, submerged it into the pot, dousing it with warm water. With the warm towel, Phil gingerly cleaned around the wound and Dan watched as Phil worked, in slight awe.

"What happened?" Dan asked gently.

"I came home from work and PJ, the dumb little shit, was waiting outside for me, and then suddenly he came out of nowhere. And god, it was terrifying, his nails- and he attacked PJ and I was just pulling up and then he disappeared-, and I want to fucking kill him!"

"Okay, it's alright," Dan looked at his cousin, who appeared to have been merely watching, but Dan knew he was listening for anything going on outside the house.

"Go," Dan told him, and Adrian was gone to watch from the sky.

"Fuck," PJ said through gritted teeth as Phil cleaned closer to the wound.

"Okay, it's okay." Phil said soothingly.

PJ clutched onto Chris' shirt desperately as Chris cradled him gently in his lap.

Dan looked between the two of them.

"Chris," he said, gently grabbing his attention. "He needs you."

Chris looked at Dan in confusion, but then he looked back down at PJ. Phil paused, and Chris wordlessly pulled PJ closer to him.

PJ grimaced and let out a hum of pain, but as more of their bodies came into contact his convulsions eased slightly.

With the blood cleared, but the wound still weeping just slightly, Phil opened the bottle of rubbing alcohol and the scent filled the room.

"Phil," PJ complained, dreading the burn of the alcohol.

"I'm not gonna lie, PJ, but this will probably hurt like a motherfucker."

At Phil's warning Chris pulled the wounded man closer to him. PJ looked at Phil with wide-eyes and his own face contorted in reluctance.

He poured a bit of the alcohol onto PJ's belly and it rolled passed the wound.

"Fuck," he gasped, his body trembling at the burn. Chris held onto him, moving his hair off of his sweaty forehead and wiping the moisture away with the sleeve of his own jacket.

Phil took a smaller, dry towel that Dan had previously brought out, and pressed it tightly to the wound and at PJ's gasp, he said, "We have to make sure the bleeding stops." He then said to Dan clearly, "Get me a bed sheet. Something big, but thin."

Following Phil's instruction, he returned quickly to the restroom where he had seen something similar to what Phil described and found a bed sheet.

As he pulled it off the shelf, other linens slipped off the shelf, but he ignored them and returned quickly to the kitchen.

With the sheet, Phil cut a slit in it, and tore it twice in half.

"I need you to sit up, okay?"

PJ nodded, and with Chris' help he sat up.

"It'll just be a second."

Phil brought one end of a strip of the sheet around PJ's body and around. He tugged tightly, like ripping a band aid off, and then knotted it as securely as he could, so as to create a makeshift bandage.

It'd been about the hardest thing Phil had done in his entire life.

"Thank you, Phil." It wasn't PJ that had said it, but Chris.

His dark eyes shined in gratitude towards Phil. He scooted up, so as to let PJ rest his back into his chest.

PJ's breathing evened out slowly, and he let his head rest on Chris' shoulder.

The worst part was over, and with his chest heaving, his tired eyes slid over to look at Phil wordlessly for a moment. He shut his eyes and Chris continued to hold onto him.

Phil rose from the tile and left the kitchen, and with knitted eyebrows Dan watched him go. His skin itched with the agitation Phil was feeling.

He got up and followed him, finding him leaning against the hallway wall, a hand braced against the wood.

"Phil, are you okay?" Dan asked him in the gentlest tone he could muster as he could see Phil trembling with frustration.

"No," Phil turned, a hand sliding off the wall.

"No, I'm not fucking okay."

"This passed weekend has been absolute hell. I had to watch you, recklessly and selfishly put all of us in danger, because you were a little upset. We've been living like we're rats in a sewer for three days, and I just wrapped up a friend in a homemade bandage while he was shaking in pain, and was thanked for that by his boyfriend."

"And-! And they're still out there! And we're just hiding here, _waiting for them!_ " Phil shouted hysterically. "Dan, I can't deal with this shit! What if-," he cut himself short, his eyes suddenly watering and his throat closing up.

Dan stepped forward and enveloped him in a hug.

Phil clutched onto Dan in return. "What if I lose you," he admitted his fears softly, his face pressed to Dan's shoulder.

"You're not going to."

For the few short moments they had, they stood there, but Dan could hear Adrian walking back up to the house and he regretfully pulled away from Phil.

He was walking in pulling his jacket back over his head, when they met him in the kitchen.

Adrian looked over the scene in the kitchen. The bucket full of red water with the soiled towel was sitting in the bucket, the scissors and extra strips of bed sheet lying beside it.

Incredibly relieved that Phil got him patched up, he let out a breath, but then said, "I didn't see them, but they've got to be out there somewhere."

The shifting of rocks in Chris' driveway could be heard, as well as the rustling of leaves.

Dan looked at Adrian, and they exchanged a look with PJ. PJ slipped from Chris' arms and stood.

"What?" Phil asked. The three of them didn't say anything at first, so Phil said, "What's going-," Phil was cut off by a loud bang and he jolted harshly.

The sound of the front door banging against the wall was clear to all five of them and Chris stood quickly.

They might have had one injured, but they were still five to three.

Despite his injuries, PJ was soon four legged and blond, his makeshift bandage had fallen to the floor, and Dan joined him, standing on his four strong legs beside Phil, his clothes abandoned.

Foot steps thudded ominously and Dan stepped forward, legs rigid, hair standing on end, teeth bared. And it was terrifyingly beautiful, and Phil felt so meek beside him, but he didn't have much time for any other thoughts because three terrible looking figures stepped into the kitchen.

Phil only had a fraction of a second to take in the inhuman, long sharp teeth, and the long, sharp, yellowing nails before bodies lunged forward.

He watched, horrified, as Dan sent the boy-well, he wasn't exactly a boy, was he- with short, spiky, black hair falling backward onto the ground, and in his moment of distraction he felt a sudden pressure at his chest and he crashed roughly into the tile behind him. He cried out at the splitting pain at the back of his head, but it was soon forgotten when he looked up into menacing, blood red eyes.

Before he could make any sort of defense, Dan had lunged and then beside him he could see Dan digging his canines into the shoulder of this boy, letting out angry growls.

He looked around and noticed that although PJ was injured, and not quite as large as Dan was, he was very fast, and could hit all of his opponent's weak spots.

His opponent was weakening quickly, but Dan was being attacked by two at once, and he saw Adrian swoop in, and clawed viciously at the eyes of one of them in Dan's defense.

He was blinded by the wounds, and Dan took the chance to knock him back into the kitchen dining table, causing it to collapse and knocking him completely unconscious.

However, as Dan hesitated, his large, wolf rib cage heaving with a breath, the last of the three that had not been incapacitated took advantage of Dan's vulnerable moment.

Phil's eyes widened, as he watched the boy snarl and pull his hand back to strike Dan.

"No!"

Boldly, Phil launched himself across the room, sweeping the red-eyed monster off of Dan and onto the ground.

He held him by his collar and shouted furiously, "I know you've lost someone!"

The red-eyed boy hesitated, caught off guard by Phil's words. Phil didn't know where the words were coming from, but he continued. "I know you've lost someone and killing is not going to fill the emptiness. You're only turning yourself into a monster!"

The sickening sound of flesh shifting filled Phil's ears as the sharp teeth were retracted into the boy's gums.

The red in his eyes remained, but then he let out a cry of rage and threw Phil off of him.

Phil shifted, and turned over, watching in horror as the boy found a large steak knife and he shouted, "No!" but it was too late.

He took the large knife and plunged it through his own neck.

He let out a sickening, gurgle of a cry after he collapsed and choked on his own breath.

As the life left his body, Phil caught his own breath and suddenly his stomach turned and bile rose to the back of the throat, filling his mouth with an awful taste and he retched.

He rushed from the house, a hand clamped over his mouth and then he was outside, kneeling in Chris driveway, emptying the entire contents of his stomach until he could only heave up air.

His eyes watered and his pores screamed but the cold felt incredible against his hot skin.

He heard a soft, comforting keening sound and he recognized it as Dan.

Dan's warm tongue traveled the length of his face from his jaw to his forehead, cleaning the sweat off of his face and sending a wave of soothing warmth into his body.

Phil let out a few last dry heaves and he rocked back onto his shins.

 _I'm sorry._

He didn't say anything, but gulped at the cold air.

Dan sat beside him, pressing his warmth to Phil's body.

To his surprise, it began to sprinkle.

With his canines, Dan gently tugged on Phil to follow him back into the house.

With trembling limbs he stood and followed him back into the house.

He was so fucking exhausted.

"Chris," he said. "I'm sorry. Your table and god-, this is so fucked up."

He and Chris looked at the unconscious bodies of two of the boys, and bleeding body of the last.

But then, as Phil stared at the lifeless of Chris' kitchen floor, his disgust turned quickly to awe as the body emitted a slight glow in the dimly lit room.

Phil could feel the warmth from it, and then before he could really take a moment to understand, the body had disappeared completely, leaving behind an odd peace.

The other two bodies in the kitchen shifted. Dan, PJ and Adrian didn't do anything, but watched as they rose from the ground.

The two boys looked around at each other.

Dan took one step forward and they bolted from the house. Adrian swooped after them, making intimidated cawing noises.

"Fuck," he heard PJ curse. He looked around at his friend, who had shifted back to his human form. His wound was weeping.

"Shit, okay. Chris," Phil said pointedly and he rushed from the room to gather a fresh towel.

PJ held himself up at the counter and Phil found a chair to pull up next to him and let him slip into it. Chris had returned with two small hand towels as well as a blanket which he tactfully covered PJ with.

Dan had returned to his human form as well and took the pot, which miraculously hadn't been spilt amongst the chaos and filled it with fresh, warm water.

He put the pot next to Phil, and he began to quickly work on redressing PJ's wound.

Adrenaline had passed and Phil realized his glasses were cracked and with a sigh, he took them off and left them discarded on the floor.

"What are my neighbors going to think?" Chris asked suddenly as Adrian had returned into the house.

Despite the sting of Phil's work, PJ let out a weak smile and said,

"Angry kitchen sex is a good excuse for the broken table."

Phil didn't want to laugh, and neither did Dan, but as Dan pulled his black t-shirt back over his head, he began to chuckle.

And soon the five of them were laughing, and recovering from the adrenaline and exhaustion.

"It's not that deep. You won't need stitches or anything. You'll just have to keep it clean so it won't get infected," Phil said when PJ was patched up and gingerly stepping back into his jeans.

Chris had brought him out a completely new shirt and a warm jacket.

Now the excitement was over, the anxious build up had passed, the five of them were starving and although it wasn't the best food choice, they ordered a pizza.

Phil and Dan gathered up the remainder of Chris table, leaning the partial planks of wood and detached legs against the wall.

"I'll get you a new table," Phil insisted.

"Don't worry about it," Chris waved him off but in a certain tone that implied that he really should not disagree, Dan said, "We'll take care of it."

"Thanks."

Dan nodded in return.

They filled up on pizza that night at Chris' house. They didn't watch anything on television, or play any video games, but sat around the living room.

They didn't talk much, but shot each other understanding and comforting looks.

At one point Adrian had said, "They won't be back," with certainty that hung in the air like a blanket being tucked around them at the end of a bed time story.


	19. Chapter 19

On a Friday afternoon during the following winter season, Phil pulled up next to the community college building, and leaned over to the look out the frost-edged window.

He grinned when he saw Dan exiting the building, pulling his heavy coat tighter around him. Dan returned the smile and Phil leaned over to open the passenger car door.

"C'mon!"

"Walking as fast as I can," Dan complained, but was still grinning as he slid into the seat, and pulled the door shut behind him.

Phil began to slowly drive away from the building as Dan took his heavy coat off.

"Are you excited?"

"Yes," he grinned widely, pulling his seatbelt across himself as Phil was leaving the parking lot.

"How was your club meeting?"

"It was fun. PJ and I have a project idea that we want your help with."

"I'd love to help."

"Okay, awesome. Because…"

As Dan talked, Phil navigated the snow covered streets out of the busier end of the city. The buildings thinned out bit by bit as they turned down a few roads that led to the outskirts of the city and to a nearby orphanage and adoption agency.

Phil drove up to a tall, brick building that was fenced off by a tall, wrought iron gate that opened up to where they could pull into the parking lot.

They were both a bit quiet. Dan stared anxiously up at the building as Phil found a parking space.

After the car was parked, Dan and Phil both climbed out, pulling their coats back on.

The met around the back of the car to clasp their hands, share a small smile, and walk across the lot and up the steps to building.

They stepped inside the building, their bodies engulfed with warmth and they let their hands fall to their sides.

The foyer was immaculate, and they wiped their feet on the large rug just inside the door. The floor was of dark, smooth wood and the wood paneling ran half-way up the walls.

They had an appointment scheduled with a lawyer and an adoption agent.

They had to show that they could take appropriate care for and afford a child, so Phil had brought in a few documents to show proof of residency and income.

Dan and Phil no longer lived in the old neighborhood near his work, but in an even more affordable two bedroom apartment downtown. They had chosen to move, when they had made the decision that they wanted to adopt a kid.

Because they had never married, Phil would have legal custody, but they had an understanding that it didn't matter and they were in it together.

A group of kids flew passed them, a blur of hair and shortness and shoes squeaking on the smooth wooden floor.

Dan grinned, and then a woman dressed in a pants suit approached them.

"Hi, don't mind them. They've not been able to go outside because of the weather." She had a friendly smile and brown, highlighted hair that framed her face and fell around her shoulders.

"They're fine," Phil grinned.

"Are you here for an appointment?" The woman asked the two of them.

"We are." Phil told the woman the name of the lady they were told they would be meeting with.

"That's me, actually. Phil Lester?"

"Yeah," he smiled.

"And is this?"

"This is Dan." Phil said, and the woman looked between the two of them for a moment, and it seemed as if she was considering something for a moment, but then smiled understandingly.

"Well, why don't you guys hang up your coats and we'll go to my office, then. It's just down this way."

After they had hung up their jackets at the coat hooks she had gestured to, the woman led Dan and Phil passed a large staircase to a corridor off to the right, and into an office.

Her door had her surname across the top, above an opaque, textured window.

The meeting was surprisingly short, and Dan was a bit anxious. This woman had deemed Phil fit to take care of a child, despite that Dan thought this meeting unnecessary.

"Alright, so are you ready to meet the kids?"

"Yes, definitely." Phil agreed and the woman led them back out of the office and the way they came. However, they passed the grand, wooden staircase and the room opened up to a wide hall set up like a living space.

There was a large television set up on the opposite wall that was currently shut off, and several different couches and chairs. A bookcase lined the west wall and there were a few kids, playing with toys in an open space on the floor.

But what really caught both Dan and Phil's attention was the girl sitting against the wall, by the window farther away from the fireplace where a few other kids sat, with her knees bent and a book in her lap.

She had long, brown hair, and smooth, pale skin. Her jeans were old, and her baggy sweater was older. The socks she wore were fleece and endearingly mismatched and she nervously shifted them against one another.

She was young, but still a teenager. Phil would guess that maybe she was ten years old. But there was something about her that was much different from the others that he couldn't quite put his finger on. She had this sort of vibe of maturity beyond her youth. And when her eyes flicked up from her book, she looked between Dan and Phil and he realized.

He looked over at Dan, who had noticed the same girl.

"Her, Phil. Look at her. We've got to take her home."

"I know."

The woman approached them a moment later after she had knelt beside a couple of four-year olds who had been coloring.

"Ms, what's her name? Over there, by the window."

"That is Sophie. She is awfully quiet, but it just takes a little while for her to get used to new people. C'mon, I'll introduce you guys."

"Erm, okay then."

The woman led Dan and Phil towards the girl who was sat in the chair against the wall.

"Sophie, this is Dan and Phil. Phil's looking to adopt someone today."

She eyed Phil skeptically, but he lowered himself to the chair beside and angled towards her own.

"Hi, Sophie," he said gently and tried to smile warmly. "It's good to meet you."

"Hi," she returned the greeting.

"How are you?"

"Erm, fine?" She said, with a mixture of uncertainty and doubt. She glanced over at Dan, and then at their lawyer who had stepped away to talk to a couple of young children.

"You like to read?" Dan asked her, and he caught the hint of a smile, which he was glad for.

"Yeah. A lot."

"What book do you have there?"

"It's erm, well, okay so…" She launched into a long-winded synopsis of the book, a grin growing as each word passed her lips and Phil smiled.

"It sounds really good," he said.

"Yeah, I think it's my new favorite."

They chatted with her about the books she read for a little while longer.

Phil's lawyer watched, a smile on her face and he looked up. She waved him over and he said, "Excuse me," to Dan and Sophie.

He approached her and she said, "So?"

"I think I want to take her home," he grinned.

"Would you be prepared to take her home this afternoon?"

Phil glanced over at Dan and Sophie, who were both watching Phil, undoubtedly able to hear the entire conversation.

He noticed them exchange a comment and Phil said to the adoption agent, remembering the bed, desk and dresser set he and Dan had put into the second bedroom, "Yes. Definitely."

* * *

"So, this is where you'll stay, Sophie. I hope you like it. It's not much. Now. But we'll get you a few mo-," Phil was cut short, when the little brunette suddenly turned back around and wrapped her arms tightly around Phil's waist.

He wasn't sure how to respond at first, but then wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"I love it. Thank you."

"You're welcome, deer."

She looked up and grinned, dropping her arms. Calling her 'deer' was probably going to stick really well.

It'd become apparent to Sophie, while they took the drive home what Dan and Phil were to each other. She shared with them what she could remember from when she was younger, but it was only of the orphanage and how she came to realize she wasn't like other people and how she hid it. Somehow, she had said, no one realized it when she was infant.

"That's good," Dan said, and shared with her, sparing her the worst details for the time being, about his own experiences and how he met Phil.

"You'll meet someone like Phil one day, you know. The person you're made for."

"Really?" She had asked quietly in disbelief.

Dan hummed in confirmation. "Really."

* * *

It was Friday, Dan didn't have class, and Phil didn't have work. But Sophie had school and Phil drove her there in the mornings.

He'd just returned and crept back into the bedroom where Dan seemed to be asleep still. He intended to crawl back into bed, but when he did he quickly became surrounded by Dan in a kiss full of heavy breathes and slow passion.

"I wanted you really badly last night."

"I did too."

Dan ran his hands along Phil's body, loving what it did to him.

"Dan," Phil said. "Do you know what you do to me?"

"No," Dan said daringly. "Why don't you show me?"

Phil didn't need to be told twice. He stripped Dan of his clothing and Dan let him tease and touch his body. Dan could feel how aroused Phil was when he reached down to touch him and he said huskily, "I want your cock in my mouth. I want to taste you, Phil."

He cursed harshly in response and he rose to his knees, and Dan worked on getting his jeans undone hastily. And Phil couldn't help but fuck his mouth, gripping a fistful of his hair while Dan moaned around him.

"Lay down," Phil said, pulling away and Dan did as Phil said, but then he also said, "on your stomach."

Phil got a bottle of lube out, spread some of the liquid over his dick and over Dan's entrance. He pressed a finger into Dan, carefully prepping him.

"I'm not being to rough am I?"

"No, Phil, please. Fuck me," Dan was practically begging and it was so hot.

But Phil still took the time to make sure he was ready and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. Dan hummed softly, and then let out louder noises when Phil guided to Dan's ass, letting it slide along his ass crack and then pressing into him slowly.

"Fuck," Dan cursed harshly. "Yes, Phil."

His noises were a bit muffled, but it was so erotic the way Dan fisted the blankets in his hands.

And Phil was getting closer, and then he pulled away earning a moan of complaint from Dan. He turned Dan over, and pushed back into him while Dan wrapped his legs and arms around him, clutching onto him.

"Fuck, Phil. I'm going to come. Don't stop."

Phil's thrusts became more erratic, and he felt the lurch in his groan just before he pushed all the way inside Dan, his body quaking as he came inside Dan. Dan's body rock, his hips jerking and Phil stroked him as he came to his own finish.

They were both panting and moaning, but Phil kissed him and as their bodies began to share that safe warmth he said, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

And they continued to kiss, until the buzz of soothing electricity passed and left a feeling of bliss.

"Talk about doggy style," Dan said suddenly, breaking the silence, while he was still clutching onto Phil as he lied between his legs.

"Jesus Christ, Dan. Really?" Phil pushed up onto his arms in order to look at Dan.

"Couldn't help it," he replied shamelessly.

"What am I going to do with you?"

"Love me forever?"

"That sounds like a fine idea, actually."

* * *

Sophie had settled in well with Dan and Phil, and her room was becoming much more lived in and she was very happy. And they were both very proud.

Every time Dan finished a book, and deemed it appropriate for Sophie, he passed it on to her and she would thank him and he'd reply with, "You're welcome, deer."

It had become an inside joke when they went out, and the best term of endearment when staying in.

She got along well with Adrian, Chris, and PJ. But Adrian would sometimes call her Bambi if he thought she was being a wimp, which was often.

Phil had gone up to shift leader at work, and Dan was doing really well at school, and they were never more happy or proud.

And it was so freaking cheesy, but Phil thought that maybe they'd found happily ever after.

* * *

so that was the end of this story i hope it was good like i said i first wrote it like three years ago and decided to reupload it so yeah i lost all of the reviews when i took it down tho so if you wanna review it would be greatly appreciated


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